PAUL  ANTHONY, 

~ Christian — 


"  What  is  the  truth— about  you — about  me?"       Page  265. 

— Paui  Anthony,  Christian. 


Paul  Anthony, 
Christian 

A  TALE  OF  TRUTH 

By  HIRAM  W.  HAYES 


WITH  FRONTISPIECE 


A.  L.   BURT  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


Copyright  1907,  1906 
BY  HIRAM  W.  HA.YBS 

Registered  at 
STATIONER'S  HALL 

I<oridon.  England 

U.  RIGHTS  RESERVBD 


TO 

3U 

This  volume  is  dedicated  as  a  token  of  loving  gratitude 

and  esteem  for  the  help  he  has  given  me  and 

many  other  seekers  of  truth,  in  our  efforts 

to  acquire  an  understanding  of  the 

reality  of  being  and  our 

relation  to  God. 

HIRAM  W.  HATES 


Preface 

THIS  book  is  the  outgrowth  of  a  desire  to  express 
Truth  and  to  bring  before  the  public  in  a  practical 
way,  the  folly  indulged  in  by  many  otherwise  fair- 
minded  men  and  women  of  discussing,  criticizing 
and  condemning  persons  and  things  of  which,  from 
a  personal  knowledge,  they  know  absolutely  nothing. 

Realizing  that  the  world  to-day  is  given  to  fic- 
tion, and  that  a  book  of  that  character  is  frequently 
read  when  a  more  profound  work  would  be  neglected, 
I  have  made  my  story  fictitious  as  to  its  characters, 
scenes  and  episodes ;  but  the  most  startling  and  sig- 
nificant events  it  chronicles,  have  all  been  paralleled 
in  experiences  which  have  come  under  my  personal 
observation. 

To  all  those  who  have  been  helpful  to  me,  I  desire 
herewith  to  express  my  sincere  thanks.  I  also  wish 
to  acknowledge  my  special  indebtedness  to  Shway 
Yoe  and  to  V.  C.  S.  O'Connor  for  descriptions  of 
Burmese  boat-racing,  fishing  and  customs. 

HIRAM  W.  HATES. 


Contents 

CHAPTEB  PAGE 

I.  THE  LAST  ENEMY  —  A  PROLOGUE     .         1 

n.  THE  HONORABLE  HOUSE  OF   TOUNG- 

LAT  .         .         .  ,;      13 

III.  TEACHING  THE  HEATHEN         .         .       81 

IV.  GETTING  ACQUAINTED      ...       49 
V.  DHULEEP  MINGH'S  BAD  DREAM        .       65 

VI.  AMONG  THE  DERRICKS     ...       82 

VH.  A  VOICE  IN  THE  WILDERNESS  .          .     106 

VIII.  AN  EVENTFUL  DAY          .          .          .121 

IX.  THE  LAME  WALK  .          .          .          .134 

X.  PAUL  GIVES  His  TESTIMONY   .          .     154 

XI.  PAUL'S  TESTIMONY  CONTINUED          .     176 

XII.  THE  SICK  RECOVER          .          .          .     193 

XIII.  AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES        .     209 

XIV.  MOUNG  THAN'S  CONSPIRACY     .          .218 
XV.  UNDER    THE    SHADOW    OF   THE    AL- 
MIGHTY      .....     236 

XVI.  PAUL  AND  SOFIA     ....     257 

XVII.  SINDHU  SEEKS  LIGHT      .         .         .271 

XVIII.  PAUL  AND  ELIZABETH      .         .         .288 

XIX.  THE  ABDUCTION     ....     302 

XX.  THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  PALACE  .         .316 

XXI.  PROVING  THE  GOLDEN  RULE              .     829 


t  CONTENTS 

CHAPTKK  PAOB 

XXII.  MEDICINE,  THEOLOGY  AND  RELIGION     346 

XXIII.  CHRISTMAS  MORNING        .  .          .     357 

XXIV.  REAPING  THE   HARVEST  .  .          .     3G9 
XXV.  ELIZABETH  AND  SINDHU  .  .          .     379 

\XVI.  THE  LAST  ENEMY  OVERCOME 


And  as  ye  go,  preach,  saying,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand. 
Heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the  lepers,  raise  the  dead,  cast  out  aevilss 
freely  ye  have  received,  freely  (/toe, 

JESUS 


Paul   Anthony,    Christian 

» 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE  LAST   ENEMY A  PROLOGUE 

SPARKLING  in  the  early  morning  sunshine  which 
streamed  through  the  green  foliage  of  the  stately 
beeches  and  maples  that  lined  its  hanks,  the  crystal 
waters  of  the  Genesee  flowed  placidly  onward  toward 
the  beautiful  Ontario.  Eobin  and  bluebird  sang  in 
harmony  from  the  branches  of  the  trees,  while  from 
the  field  beyond,  the  meadow  lark  whistled  its  won- 
derful note  of  sweetest  melody  as  it  rose  to  greet  the 
rising  orb  of  day.  The  scent  of  lilacs  and  roses 
filled  the  air,  and  everything,  that  reflects  life, 
seemed  to  unite  in  one  grand  anthem  of  praise  to  the 
giver  of  all  good. 

It  was  a  typical  Sunday  morning  in  the  country, 
As  the  day  advanced,  there  came  over  the  tree 
tops,  from  the  village  across  the  river,  the  sound  of 
church  bells  calling  the  countryside  to  worship. 
Their  mellow  notes  were  attune  to  the  spirit  of  the 
day,  and  the  whole  world  seemed  beatified  in  an  at- 
mosphere of  absolute  rest  and  peace.  Nowhere  was 
heard  a  discordant  sound  to  break  the  solemn  quiet ; 
nor  did  it  seem  possible  that  there  could  be,  any- 
where, a  discordant  thought  to  disturb  the  same 
perfect  harmony  which  prevailed  on  the  morning 

1 


f  PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

that  God  looked  upon  His  completed  handiwork,  and 
*'  saw  that  it  was  very  good." 

And  yet,  in  this  symphony  of  concord,  the  hand 
of  death  was  even  now  striking  a  discordant  note,  — 
a  note  that  should  swell  in  volume,  until  it  had,  seem- 
ingly, destroyed  every  vestige  of  that  harmony 
which  now  reigned  absolute. 

On  the  bank  of  the  beautiful  river,  facing  the 
sun  as  he  climbed  slowly  over  the  hilltops,  and  par- 
tially hidden  in  a  grove  of  elm  and  walnut,  stood  a 
large  and  pretentious  farmhouse.  Its  sides  of  glis- 
tening whiteness  reflected  the  early  morning  light, 
while  the  contrasting  green  shutters  gave  it  a  cool 
and  inviting  appearance.  Above  the  porch,  which 
extended  clear  across  the  front  of  the  house,  a  couple 
of  windows  were  open,  and  white  muslin  curtains 
fluttered  gently  in  the  morning  breeze.  The  house 
and  its  surroundings  indicated  plenty  and  happiness ; 
and  truly  it  may  be  said,  that  to  within  a  few  hours 
such  indication  had  not  been  deceptive;  but  now, 
the  same  ruthless  hand  that  was  striking  the  dis- 
cordant note,  was  also  destroying  this  sense  of  plenty, 
by  causing  a  dearth  of  those  things  which  go  to  make 
up  the  full  measure  of  human  happiness. 

While  the  white  muslin  curtains  still  fluttered  in 
the  breeze,  the  fair  face  of  a  girl  appeared  at  the 
window.  A  handkerchief  held  to  her  eyes  gave  evi- 
dence of  weeping.  Presently  she  was  joined  by  an- 
other, an  older  woman,  who  placed  her  arm  about 
the  girlish  form.  For  a  minute  they  stood  motion- 
less, and  then  the  girl  turned  and  buried  her  face 
upon  the  woman's  breast.  It  was  a  picture  of  grief 


THE    LAST    ENEMY  — A    PROLOGUE     ff 

and  despair  that  contrasted  sadly  with  the  joy  and 
harmony  without. 

Suddenly  the  Sabbath  quiet  was  broken  by  the 
sound  of  rapid  hoof-beats.  In  another  moment  a  gal- 
loping horse,  with  a  farmer's  boy  on  his  back,  came 
in  sight  down  the  road  which  ran  along  the  water's 
edge,  and  turned  sharply  into  the  farmyard. 

"  Am  I  in  time  ?  "  called  the  lad,  as  the  horse 
dashed  past  a  group  of  men  gathered  on  the  lawn. 

"  Yes !  "    was  the  response  shouted  back. 

In  front  of  the  house,  the  boy  pulled  up  and  flung 
himself  from  the  horse.  As  he  ran  up  the  steps,  the 
door  opened  and  a  man  in  a  white  apron  took  the 
package  he  handed  in.  The  door  closed  and  the  boy 
turned  and  slowly  descended  the  steps.  Taking  the 
horse  by  the  bit,  he  led  the  animal  away  toward  the 
barn,  and  once  more  the  Sabbath  quiet  prevailed. 

This  beautiful  country  seat,  a  sample  of  hundreds 
that  dot  the  rich  valley  of  the  Genesee,  was  the  home 
of  Deacon  Ezra  Andrews,  a  pillar  of  the  church 
and  one  of  the  most  exemplary  and  most  highly 
respected  citizens  of  the  country.  For  more  than 
fifty  years  he  had  dwelt  in  this  fertile  spot,  and 
each  year  had  added  to  his  store  of  treasures  upon 
earth,  as  well  as,  he  earnestly  hoped,  some  treasure 
"  where  neither  moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt  and 
where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal."  His 
wife  had  been  a  real  helpmeet  to  him  in  his  struggle 
for  both,  and  her  Christian  character  was  equal  to 
her  wifely  devotion. 

But  one  child  had  blessed  their  union  of  forty 
years;  a  son  George,  who  came  to  them  after  more 


4  PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

than  ten  years  of  married  life.  From  the  day  of 
his  birth  it  had  been  the  hope  of  his  parents  that 
when  he  arrived  at  man's  estate  he  would  enter  the 
ministry.  As  a  lad  his  inclination  had  been  in  per- 
fect accord  with  this  desire,  and  before  he  had 
finished  his  course  in  the  village  academy,  he  had 
becom«  an  active  worker  in  the  church.  It  was  dur- 
ing his  four  years  in  college  that  he  finally  decided 
to  become  a  preacher  of  the  Word,  and,  upon  his 
graduation,  he  therefore  entered  a  theological  semi- 
nary. 

During  a  summer  vacation  at  home,  George  had 
become  engaged  to  one  of  the  village  girls.  It  was 
his  desire  to  be  married  at  the  close  of  his  seminary 
course,  as  he  believed  that  every  minister  should  have 
a  wife.  His  talents,  while  at  the  seminary,  attracted 
attention,  and  the  winter  before  he  was  to  graduate, 
the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  gave  him  a  call  to  go 
to  India.  Without  stopping  to  consider  his  own 
desires  or  those  of  his  affianced,  but  after  prayerful 
communion  with  God,  he  accepted  the  call.  While 
his  parents  would  have  preferred  that  he  locate  in 
the  home  field,  they  interposed  no  objection  to  the 
foreign  mission,  believing  that  the  finger  of  God 
pointed  the  way. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  George  should  not 
leave  for  India  until  the  following  September,  and 
therefore  he  decided  to  pass  the  interim,  between  the 
close  of  his  course  and  the  date  set  for  his  departure, 
on  the  farm  with  his  parents  and  in  preparing  for 
the  wedding,  which  had  already  been  announced  for 
the  early  summer. 


THE   LAST   ENEMY  — A   PROLOGUE     5 

The  girl  who  was  to  become  George  Andrew's 
wife  was  Elizabeth  Raymond.  To  describe  her  so  that 
one  who  had  not  seen  and  conversed  with  her  could 
gain  any  adequate  idea  of  her  beauty »  her  charm  of 
manner  and  the  nobility  of  her  pure  Christian  char- 
acter, would  be  a  well  nigh  impossible  task.  Eliz- 
abeth was  one  of  those  young  women  whom  to  know 
was  to  admire,  —  and  not  only  to  admire,  but  to 
admire  with  something  above  the  conventional  ad- 
miration felt  for  all  beautiful  and  intellectual  Amer- 
ican girls.  Queenly  in  face  and  form  and  of  athletic 
build,  she  was  without  that  masculinity  of  manner 
that  too  often  seems  inseparable  from  the  athletic 
girl  of  to-day.  The  luxuriant  brown  hair,  which 
framed  her  pure  Grecian  features,  contrasted- 
strongly  with  her  clear  blue  eyes,  but  seemed  to- 
match  perfectly  her  fair  complexion.  She  was  easily 
the  most  popular  girl  in  the  village;  and  village 
gossip  was  all  agog  to  know  whether  the  match- 
would  not  be  broken  off  when  it  was  learned  that 
"  George  Andrews  was  going  to  be  a  missionary."" 

Having  passed  the  age  when  young  women  are 
absolutely  amenable  to  their  parents'  commands, 
Elizabeth  quickly  set  all  gossip  at  rest  by  announ- 
cing that  she  was  not  only  just  as  willing  to  become 
a  missionary's  wife  as  a  minister's,  but  a  little  more 
so.  In  fact,  she  announced  at  a  young  peoples'  meet- 
ing, that  it  had  always  been  her  desire  to  become 
a  missionary,  and  that  she  considered  it  the  will  of 
Providence  that  the  opportunity  had  offered  itself 
without  any  action  on  her  part. 

The  early  summer  was  passing  and  the  wedding 


•  PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

day  was  approaching,  when,  one  hot  afternoon, 
George  was  seized  with  a  most  acute  illness.  Home 
remedies  were  applied  and  the  village  doctor  sum- 
moned. He  pronounced  the  case  cholera  morbus, 
and  applied  all  known  specifics  at  his  command ;  but 
the  young  man  grew  steadily  worse  until  his  suffer- 
ing became  so  great  that  it  was  decided  to  send  to 
the  city,  twenty  miles  away,  for  a  specialist.  At 
Ge  rge's  request,  Elizabeth  was  also  summoned  to 
his  bedside.  The  specialist  arrived  at  midnight.  He 
pronounced  the  trouble  appendicitis  and  decided 
upon  an  operation  at  daybreak. 

In  the  early  morning  several  neighbors  had  come 
over  to  express  their  sympathy,  as  well  as  to  gratify 
"heir  curiosity,  and  that  is  how  it  happened,  on  this 
quiet  Sabbath  morning,  that  a  group  of  men  stood 
conversing  in  subdued  tones  on  the  closely  cut  lawn, 
while  inside  the  house  the  contest  was  on  between 
death  and  the  skill  of  the  surgeon.  A  couple  of 
horses,  hitched  to  either  side  of  a  freshly  painted 
horse-block,  with  switching  tails  and  stamping  feet 
fought  the  flies  that  began  to  buzz  about  them.  The 
farm  dog,  a  big,  tawny  mastiff,  came  around  the 
corner  of  the  house  and  approached  xhe  group  of 
men  on  the  lawn ;  but,  receiving  no  attention  at 
their  hands,  laid  himsolf  down  in  the  sun  with  one 
eye  open  and  one  ear  cocked  to  catch  any  unusual 
sound.  Suddenly  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  ran 
toward  the  house,  as  the  front  door  opened,  and  a 
man  carrying  a  little  black  satchel  came  out.  He 
was  too  familiar  a  figure  not  to  be  immediately 
recognized.  It  was  the  village  doctor. 


THE    LAST    ENEMY  — A    PROLOGUE     7 

As  he  came  down  the  steps,  the  group  on  the  lawn 
broke  up  and  filed  toward  the  spot  where  the  doctor 
was  already  unhitching  his  horse. 

"  How  does  he  seem,  Doc  ?  "  asked  the  foremost 
of  the  procession. 

"  No  change,"  was  the  doctor's  reply  as  he  stepped 
into  his  buggy  and  gathered  up  the  reins. 

"  What  does  the  city  doctor  say  ?  "  inquired  an- 
other, an  older  man:  and  his  whole  manner  showed 
the  most  intense  interest. 

"  I  hate  to  tell  you,  Deacon,  but  he  says  there  is 
no  hope.  The  operation  was  performed  too  late, 
and  it's  only  a  matter  of  hours." 

The  old  man  bowed  his  head  and  drew  his  shirt 
sleeve  across  his  eyes. 

"  It  seems  pretty  hard,  Doctor,  pretty  hard ;  but 
God's  will  be  done !  " 

"  Amen !  "  exclaimed  the  others  solemnly,  as  they 
filed  back  to  the  lawn  and  watched  the  doctor  as  he 
drove  away. 

Deacon  Andrews  entered  the  house  and  ascended 
the  stairs.  In  the  hall  above  he  found  his  sweet-faced 
and  anxious  wife  talking  with  the  specialist.  Her 
eyes  were  wet  with  tears,  but  on  her  face  there  was 
that  look  of  calm  resignation  which  has  so  long 
stood  as  the  mark  of  Christian  fortitude.  In  the  ad- 
joining room  her  only  son  was  dying  of  an  illness 
which  she  believed  was  sent  by  God ;  and  yet,  in 
obedience  to  what  she  considered  the  divine  will,  she 
still  blessed  his  holy  name,  and  had  faith  to  believe 
it  was  all  for  the  best;  that  it  was  the  Lord's  way 
of  taking  her  loved  one  to  himself. 


•          PAUL   ANTHONY,   CHRISTIAN 

••Doctor  Hughes  tells  me  there  is  no  hope,"  said 
the  deacon  as  he  joined  them. 

"  None !  "  replied  the  specialist.  "  If  I  had  been 
summoned  earlier  we  might  have  saved  him;  but 
blood-poisoning  has  already  set  in  and  it  is  now  only 
a  question  of  making  him  as  easy  as  possible  until 
the  end  comes." 

Tears  streamed  down  the  old  man's  cheeks. 

**  And  how  long  before  that  will  be?  "  he  asked  in 
a  trembling  voice. 

"  It  may  be  two  hours,  it  may  be  six ;  not  longer." 

'*  It's  pretty  hard,  Doctor,  pretty  hard ! "  and 
again  he  wiped  his  eyes,  while  his  wife  murmured 
gently : 

"  The  Lord  giveth  and  the  Lord  taketh  away. 
Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

"  Will  you  stay  till  —  till  —  "  and  the  old  man's 
voice  was  lost  in  sobs. 

"  I  would  if  I  could  be  of  any  use,"  replied  the 
doctor  gently ;  "  but  there  is  nothing  I  can  do  that 
has  not  been  done.  Doctor  Hughes  will  be  back  in 
an  hour  and  I  have  other  patients  who  need  me." 

He  extended  his  hand  to  say  good-by. 

"  You'll  send  us  your  bill  ?  "  said  the  deacon,  tak- 
ing his  hand. 

"  There's  no  hurry  about  that." 

"  I  wouldn't  mind  if  it  was  five  hundred  dollars 
if  it  could  only  have  saved  the  boy's  life ! "  ex- 
claimed the  aged  father  as  the  doctor  passed  down 
the  stairs.  Turning  to  his  wife,  he  asked: 

"Where's  Bess?" 


THE    LAST    ENEMY  — A    PROLOGUE     9 

"  With  George,"  inclining  her  head  toward  the 
open  door. 

"  How  does  she  take  it?  "  he  asked  with  the  ut- 
most solicitude. 

"  Bravely,  although  her  heart  is  breaking.  Eliz- 
abeth is  a  true  Christian  and  would  never  question 
her  Heavenly  Father's  will.  Do  you  want  to  see 
George?  " 

"  Yes." 

Softly  the  aged  couple  entered  the  sick-room  and 
stood  with  tearful  eyes  before  the  bedside  of  their 
dying  son. 

Pale  and  silent  he  lay,  with  closed  eyes  and  with 
his  hand  clasped  in  that  of  the  beautiful  girl  who 
leaned  tenderly  over  him.  Presently  he  opened  his 
eyes.  As  he  recognized  his  parents  a  wan  smile 
lighted  his  countenance. 

"  Do  not  cry  for  me,"  he  said.  "  It  is  God's 
will  and  it  is  better  so.  I  was  going  away  among 
strangers,  Mother,  but  now  I  am  going  home." 

The  mother  leaned  over  and  kissed  his  forehead, 
but  tears  choked  her  voice. 

"  Yes,  George,  home !  "  said  the  girl.  "  Home  to 
our  Father,  where  there  is  no  more  sorrow  or  sick- 
ness, and  where  Jesus  will  wipe  away  all  our  tears." 

He  gave  her  hand  a  gentle  pressure  and  the  light 
of  a  great  love  shone  from  his  eyes. 

"  We  should  have  been  so  happy,  you  and  I,"  he 
said,  "  and  it  seemed  as  though  we  should  have  done 
a  great  work  out  there  in  India,  spreading  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  But  God  knows  best,"  and  again 
he  closed  his  eyes. 


10         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Yes,   George,"    said   his    mother,   "  God 
best."     Then  to  her  husband: 

"  Come,  Father,  let  us  leave  them  alone.  Call  us, 
Elizabeth,  if  there  is  any  change." 

Slowly  and  with  bowed  heads  the  grief-stricken 
couple  withdrew  from  the  room,  and  for  a  time  there 
was  unbroken  silence,  save  for  the  somewhat  labored 
breathing  of  the  sick  man.  Outside,  the  birds  still 
sang  harmoniously,  and  the  leaves,  stirred  by  the 
gentle  breeze,  cast  flickering  shadows  across  the  cur- 
tains. Elizabeth  arose  from  the  bedside  and  drew 
the  shade  a  trifle  lower.  Then  for  a  moment,  over- 
come by  her  grief,  she  stood  with  bowed  head  look- 
ing out  across  the  river.  When  she  turned,  her 
lover  was  watching  her  with  wide  open  eyes. 

"  You  must  not  grieve  for  me,  dear  one,"  he  said 
as  she  approached  the  bed  and  placed  her  hand  upon 
his  head.  "  Our  lives  have  been  consecrated  to  God, 
and  if  it  is  his  will  to  take  me  home  now,  it  is  not 
for  us  to  question." 

"  Oh,  George,"  as  she  knelt  beside  him,  "  it  is  so 
hard  to  lose  you,  —  to  lose  your  great  love  and  help ! 
I  know  that  his  ways  are  higher  than  our  ways ;  but 
it  does  seem  as  though  you  might  be  spared  to 
spread  his  word." 

"  We  must  not  question  his  wisdom,"  he  said. 

"  I  do  not,  oh,  I  do  not;  but  we  know  when  Jesus 
was  on  earth  he  raised  the  widow's  son  and  restored 
the  brother  to  those  who  loved  him.  Surely  if  it 
were  right  for  Jesus  to  heal  the  sick  and  raise  the 
dead  then,  he  would  do  it  now,  if  he  were  here.  Why 


THE    LAST    ENEMY— A    PROLOGUE    ji>, 

cannot  we,  his  professed  followers,  do  the  same?  He 
bade  us  do  it." 

"  Hush !  Elizabeth,  hush !  Your  grief  is  causing 
you  to  forget.  The  days  of  miracles  are  past,  and 
it  is  now  our  duty  to  save  the  world  from  the  great 
burden  of  sin  with  which  it  is  weighted  down.  The 
flesh  profiteth  nothing.  It  is  our  duty  to  spread 
the  gospel  of  truth  and  to  point  out  the  way  of  life 
eternal  beyond  the  grave.  I  have  made  my  peace 
with  God.  My  Master  calls  me  home !  I  am  ready !  " 

Again  he  closed  his  eyes  while  Elizabeth  prayed 
softly :  "  Not  my  will  but  thine  be  done." 

After  a  few  moments  the  dying  man  again  opened 
his  eyes. 

"  You  will  not  forget  the  promise  you  made  last 
night?  "  he  asked  feebly.  "  You  will  go?  " 

"  Yes,  George,  if  the  Board  will  take  me  I  will  go. 
I  will  carry  the  message  to  India,  alone,  which  we 
had  hoped  to  carry  together." 

"  It  makes  my  —  my  going  so  much  easier.  I 
feel  as  though  my  years  of  work  and  study  had  not 
been  in  vain  if  I  am  leaving  one  behind  to  do  the 
work  I  had  planned.  Will  it  be  such  a  great  hard- 
ship, dear  one?  " 

"  It  will  be  all  the  pleasure  left  to  me  in  life." 

"  I  know  it  will,  Elizabeth.  Did  not  the  Master 
say :  '  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature?  '  What  a  blessing  to  take 
the  message  of  love  to  a  sinning  world,  and  to  pre- 
pare them  to  meet  their  God !  I  wish  I  could  stay !  " 

His  eyes  took  on  a  far-away  look  and  over  his  face 


it         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

played  a  faint  smile,  as  though  his  wish  might  be 
realized. 

"  Why,  oh,  why  can  he  not  stay  ?  "  thought  the 
girl  as  she  looked  upon  his  pallid  face.  "  Why  are 
we  not  able  to  obey  the  rest  of  Jesus'  great  com- 
mand and  heal  the  sick?  Why,  oh,  why  is  our  faith 
so  small? "  and  the  great  tears  rolled  down  her 
cheeks. 

Even  as  she  looked  a  change  came  over  the  face 
before  her,  the  smile  faded  away  and  the  features 
became  ashy  and  drawn.  She  stepped  quickly  to 
the  door  and  called  softly  to  the  others.  The  dying 
man  spoke  in  a  whisper  as  she  again  leaned  over 
him, 

"  It  is  slipping  away,"  he  said.  "  It  is  slipping 
away !  Hold  me,  dear  one ;  do  not  let  me  go  I  " 

She  bent  lower  to  catch  the  last  word. 

**  Do  not  —  let  —  m2  —  go !  "    he  gasped. 

There  was  a  quiver  of  the  eyelids  and  George 
Andrews  had  passed  on. 

"  It  was  a  beautiful  death,"  whispered  a  neighbor 
woman  as  the  members  of  the  family  passed  out  and 
sympathetic  friends  took  charge  of  the  sick-room. 

Elizabeth  overheard,  and  her  rebellious  heart  de- 
clared : 

"  No  death  is  beautiful !  " 


CHAPTER    II 

THE    HONORABLE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG  -  LAY 

FROM  Rangoon  to  Manipur,  and  in  all  the  prov- 
inces of  India,  no  family  is  better  known  or  held  in 
higher  esteem  by  the  British  government  than  the 
ancient  and  honorable  house  of  Toung-lay.  For 
more  than  a  century,  in  fact  ever  since  the  British 
made  their  first  attempt  to  do  business  in  the  land 
of  pagodas,  rubies  and  white  elephants,  this  house 
has  been  one  of  Britain's  strongest  supporters.  In 
the  last  great  wars,  the  one  with  King  Pagan-Min 
and  again  in  that  between  the  British  Indian  gov- 
ernment and  King  Thebaw,  the  family  suffered 
greatly,  and  one  of  its  members  was  put  to  death 
for  giving  information  to  the  British  that  Thebaw 
had  ordered  the  Burmese  to  rise  and  drive  the  Eng- 
lish heretics  into  the  sea.  When  finally  the  British 
soldiers  marched  into  Mandalay,  they  came  just  in 
time  to  save  from  death  other  members  who  had 
been  subjected  to  all  sorts  of  indignities  and  torture 
as  part  of  Thebaw's  cruel  revenge. 

After  the  British  had  finally  defeated  Thebaw 
and  taken  possession  of  Upper  Burma,  as  a  first  rec- 
ompense for  this  friendship,  the  ancient  and  honor- 
able house  of  Toung-lay  was  given  valuable  grants 
in  connection  with  the  construction  of  the  Burmese 


14         PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

railroads,  and  large  concessions  in  the  oil  fields  near 
Yenangyaung.  There  was  still  further  recompense 
later  on  in  the  history  of  the  British  occupation,  but 
in  order  to  understand  how  it  came  about  it  is  neces- 
sary to  revert  to  happenings  in  the  very  early  his- 
tory of  the  Toung-lay  family,  —  events  which  form 
part  of  the  history  of  Burma. 

Some  four  hundred  years  ago,  long  before  Eng- 
land ever  dreamed  of  the  conquest  of  India,  the 
Toung-lay  were  the  ruling  house  of  the  kingdom 
of  Pegu.  This  was  before  the  Chinese  and  Burmese 
had  become  distinct  nations  and  while  the  Tartar 
dynasty  was  in  control  of  the  Celestial  Kingdom. 
When  the  kingdom  of  Pegu  was  overthrown  a  cen- 
tury later,  Fo-Sein,  the  ancient  head  of  the  house 
of  Toung-lay,  withdrew  into  the  fastnesses  of  the 
Himalayas,  and,  through  an  understanding  with  the 
Chinese  emperor,  with  whom  the  family  was  con- 
nected by  ties  of  blood,  formed  the  kingdom  of  Bahi- 
pur,  or  Bajipur  as  it  is  now  commonly  written. 
This  kingdom,  embracing  a  territory  of  two  hun- 
dred square  miles,  and  containing  a  population  of 
something  like  two  million  subjects,  —  made  up  of 
Burmese,  Hindus,  Chinese  and  a  few  hill  tribes,  — 
adjoined  the  kingdom  of  Assam  on  the  east  and  com- 
prised practically  all  that  territory  between  the  head 
waters  of  the  Brahmaputra  and  Irrawaddy  Rivers. 
Its  capital  and  chief  city  was,  and  still  is,  Annakan, 
a  walled  city  of  some  fifty  thousand  inhabitants. 

Fo-Sein  ruled  over  Bajipur  till  his  death;  and 
his  immediate  family  for  some  generations  longer. 
During  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  the 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG-LAY         15 

kingdom  was  considerably  reduced  in  size  by  a  war 
with  King  Ava,  who  was  in  turn  overthrown  by  the 
Talaings.  During  the  succeeding  wars  between 
King  Alompra  and  Siam,  and  the  invasion  of  Mani- 
pur  and  Assam,  its  nearest  neighbors,  the  realm  of 
Bajipur  met  with  varying  reverses  and  successes,  and 
it  was  not  until  the  house  of  Toung-lay  cast  its  for- 
tunes on  the  side  of  Great  Britain  that  the  prin- 
cipality definitely  secured  immunity  from  absorp- 
tion by  the  kingdom  of  Burma.  In  1824  —  when 
the  Burmese  were  driven  out  of  Assam,  Kachar  and 
Manipur  —  Bajipur,  reduced  in  size  to  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  square  miles,  was  guaranteed  its 
independence  and  has  since  retained  it;  except  as 
it  acknowledges  the  suzerainty  of  Great  Britain. 
In  1830  the  eldest  member  of  the  Toung-lay  family 
was  called  to  the  hrone  under  the  title  of  Prince 
Nala,  —  prince  being  the  customary  title  of  the  rul- 
ers of  all  the  Indian  principalities.  He  was  succeeded 
at  his  death  by  Prince  Baha  Min,  who  ruled  until 
the  war  with  Thebaw  broke  out  in  1885,  when,  with 
little  opposition,  that  monarch  captured  Annakan 
and  held  it  till  he  was  in  turn  completely  overthrown 
by  the  British. 

During  the  years  of  the  pacification  and  occupa- 
tion of  Upper  Burma,  the  English  took  no  steps 
toward  restoring  the  government  of  the  principality 
to  the  Toung-lay  family;  but  after  several  years, 
—  some  time  before  the  massacre  of  the  English  Resi- 
dent at  Manipur,  —  the  native  government  of  Baji- 
pur was  again  established  and  Prince  Sindhu  was 
placed  on  the  throne.  This  was  the  final  act  of  rec- 


16         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

ompense  by  Great  Britain  in  recognition  of  the  serv- 
ices rendered  it  by  the  ancient  and  honorable  house 
of  Toung-lay. 

Since  that  time  the  principality  has  been  well  gov- 
erned and  has  given  the  British  little  trouble.  This 
is  remarkable,  considering  the  fact  that  it  is  inac- 
cessible, except  by  a  long  river  voyage  and  a  journey 
of  nearly  a  hundred  miles  by  horse,  elephant,  and 
such  other  conveyances  as  are  obtainable.  During 
the  rainy  season  it  is  virtually  cut  off  from  the  rest 
of  the  world  for  several  weeks.  During  these  weeks 
Prince  Sindhu  and  his  sister  —  the  only  members  of 
the  family  who  have  taken  up  their  residence  !  i  An- 
nakan,  and  both  of  whom  to  a  large  exten^,  have 
adopted  English  manners  —  are  wont  to  spend  their 
time  in  Rangoon,  leaving  the  government  of  the 
principality  in  the  hands  of  the  Prime  Minister. 

It  is  recorded  that,  away  back  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  an  ancestor  of  the  Toung-lay  took  to  wife 
a  Dutch  maiden,  a  daughter  of  one  of  those  Hol- 
landers who  were  the  first  Europeans  to  settle  in  the 
kingdom  of  Pegu.  During  all  the  years  since  that 
time  and  through  all  the  reverses  that  have  befallen 
the  house,  a  large  Van  Dyke  portrait  of  this  Indy 
has  been  preserved  and  now  graces  the  library  of 
the  family  residence  in  Rangoon.  It  has  been  the 
invariable  rule  for  generations,  to  honor  this  ances- 
tor by  giving  the  name  of  his  Dutch  wife  to  some 
female  member  of  the  family,  and  that  is  how  it 
happens  that  the  only  daughter  of  the  present  house 
of  Toung-lay  is  named  Sofia. 

In  one  respect,  however,  neither  their  Dutch  an- 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG-LAY         IT 

cestry  nor  their  English  relations  have  caused  any 
change  in  the  thought  or  character  of  the  family,  — 
that  is  with  respect  to  their  religion.  Ever  since  it 
began  its  history,  all  its  members  have  been  staunch 
and  fervent  believers  in  Buddha,  and  many  are  the 
pagodas  built  to  Gaudama  by  the  male  members  of 
the  house.  On  every  mound  of  each  plantation  be- 
longing to  its  now  vast  estate,  and  in  every  mansion 
of  each  city  in  which  the  house  has  connections, 
there  are  shrines  to  Buddha,  while  graven  images 
of  Gaudama  are  as  plentiful  as  the  rubies  in  their 
extensive  mines  at  Mogok. 

The  only  member  of  the  family  of  nine  sons  who 
ever  strayed  from  the  teachings  of  the  great  Pohn- 
gyee  is  Prince  Sindhu.  And,  really,  he  cannot  be 
said  to  have  departed  from  the  faith,  for  he  but 
added  to  his  Buddhist  views  a  touch  of  materialism, 
gathered  in  his  studies  of  the  natural  sciences,  and 
from  reading  the  works  of  such  writers  as  Balfour 
and  Huxley.  It  always  appeared  to  him  that  their 
ideas  were  quite  in  line  with  the  teachings  of  Gau- 
dama regarding  birth,  decay  and  death ;  and,  as 
the  idea  of  a  supreme  being  has  no  place  in  the  Bur- 
mese mind,  he  had  always  been  quite  as  willing  to 
accept  the  materialistic  propaganda,  that  all  things 
have  their  origin  in  force,  as  the  more  subtle  views 
of  the  Burmese  monks.  During  his  days  in  the 
monastery  he  had  studied  the  religion  of  the  Brah- 
mins, and  he  was  quite  certain  that  he  could  never 
accept  the  teachings  of  the  great  Hindoos,  because 
he  had  a  well  defined  conviction  that  in  Nirvana 


18         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

there  could  be  no  caste,  and,  therefore,  caste  in  this 
world  was  quite  as  impossible. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to  understand 
that  the  disbelief  in  caste,  as  taught  by  the  great 
Buddha,  and  the  freedom  of  their  women,  are  the 
two  things  that  constitute  the  Burmese  the  most 
progressive  of  all  the  people  that  go  to  make  up 
what  is  now  recognized  as  British  India.  As  Murray 
so  concisely  states  it :  "  Should  Burma  be  visited, 
after  a  tour  in  India,  the  traveller  cannot  fail  to  be 
struck  with  the  great  difference  in  the  people  and 
the  scenery.  The  merry,  indolent,  brightly  clothed 
Burmese  have  no  counterpart  in  Hindustan.  The 
life  of  the  natives  is  free  from  the  deadening  effect 
of  caste  and  seclusion  of  women.  The  women  are  well 
treated  and  attractive  and  take  their  full  share  in 
social  and  domestic  affairs." 

In  the  Lawkawaneedee,  —  the  Burmese  book  of 
proverbs  relating  to  life,  —  it  is  said  that  monks 
and  hermits  are  beautiful  when  they  are  lean;  four- 
footed  animals  when  they  are  fat;  men  when  they 
are  learned  and  women  when  they  are  married.  This 
recommendation  to  be  married  is  no  more  needed 
by  Burmese  maidens,  however,  than  it  is  by  their 
sisters  in  other  parts  of  the  world ;  and  they  have 
a  further  inducement,  in  that  they  enjoy  a  much 
freer  and  happier  position  than  in  any  other  Eastern 
country.  In  fact,  in  some  respects,  they  are  much 
better  off  than  the  women  of  America.  As  yet  the 
Burmese  girl  has  not  begun  to  demand  an  equal 
share  of  education  with  the  boys,  although  here  and 
there  are  a  few  who  are  deeply  learned  in  Burmese 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG  -  LAY         19 

literature,  and  have  a  wide  knowledge  of  the  sacred 
books. 

In  the  family  of  Toung-lay  the  women  have  always 
taken  unto  themselves  all  the  privileges  and  prerog- 
atives allowed  them  by  the  laws  and  customs  of  the 
land ;  and  so,  barring  Sindhu's  official  position,  there 
is  no  more  important  member  of  the  present  family 
than  Sofia,  who,  by  courtesy,  is  always  called  the 
princess.  Her  mother  had  died  when  she  was  quite 
young  and  she  had  been  raised  with  her  brother 
Sindhu,  —  some  six  years  her  senior,  —  by  an  old 
nurse.  During  the  time  her  brother  spent  in  the 
monastery  —  the  time  which  corresponds  to  the  col- 
lege days  of  the  European  youth  —  Sofia  had  pined 
so  greatly  over  his  absence  that  her  father  had  been 
at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  her.  At  last  an  aged 
pohn-gyee,  or  monk,  had  suggested  that  she  be  given 
instructions  at  home,  along  the  same  line  of  studies 
as  that  taught  her  brother  in  the  monastery.  The 
result  was  that  when  Sindhu  was  called  from  the 
monastery  to  accept  the  throne  of  Bajipur,  he  found 
that  his  sister  was  quite  as  well  informed  in  the  sacred 
books  and  other  literature  as  he,  and  had  acquired 
a  knowledge  of  English,  both  language  and  manners, 
even  better  than  his  own. 

With  the  natural  affection  of  the  brother  and 
sister  for  each  other,  it  is  not  strange  that  Sindhu 
should  have  taken  Sofia  to  Annakan  with  him  as  the 
first  lady  of  the  royal  household.  Nor  is  it  strange 
that  he  should  defer  to  her  judgment  in  many  things, 
as  it  is  customary,  in  all  the  land,  for  the  wife  to 
largely  manage  the  husband's  business;  and  the 


«0          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

sister  or  mother  generally  takes  this  place  until  the 
wife  comes.  While  there  were  plenty  of  young 
women,  suitable  by  birth  and  training,  who  were 
willing  to  become  the  ruler  of  the  household  of  Prince 
Sindhu,  up  to  the  time  of  the  beginning  of  this 
chronicle  he  was  heart-whole  and  fancy-free. 

During  the  weeks  of  the  rainy  season,  which  the 
brother  and  sister  invariably  spent  in  Rangoon,  they 
made  their  principal  residence  on  a  pineapple  plan- 
tation, a  part  of  the  family  estate,  some  miles  out  on 
the  Victoria  Road.  As  they  enjoyed  quite  an  ex- 
tended acquaintance  in  official  circles,  they  had  many 
friends  among  the  British  army  officers  and  their 
families.  In  their  rides  into  town  they  had  to  pass 
the  British  cantonments,  and  it  frequently  happened 
that  they  fell  in  with  some  of  the  young  officers, 
who,  either  by  accident  or  design,  timed  their  visits 
to  town  to  coincide  with  those  of  the  prince  and  his 
charming  sister. 

Quite  cosmopolitan,  indeed,  was  this  bit  of  Oriental 
femininity  in  everything  save  her  religion.  She  was 
a  Buddhist  from  the  crown  of  her  head  to  the  tip 
of  her  dainty  slipper.  And  so  very  Oriental  was  she 
in  her  own  home,  and  so  great  was  the  change  when 
she  donned  her  English  clothes  and  manners,  that 
one  meeting  her  on  the  street  would  scarcelv  rec- 
ognize her  as  the  demure  and  picturesque  maiden 
who  so  daintily  entertained  at  the  pineapple  garden, 
or  served  tea  in  her  boudoir  on  a  rainy  afternoon. 
She  was  a  creature  of  many  moods,  and  like  the 
chameleon,  changed  with  her  environments. 

But  especially  proud  was  she  of  her  Dutch  ances- 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG  -  LAY         21 

try  and  her  foreign  name.  Often  she  would  call  the 
attention  of  some  guest  to  the  Van  Dyke  portrait 
and  ask  in  an  innocent  and  altogether  naive  manner : 

"  Do  I  not  resemble  my  illustrious  foreign  great 
mother  ?  " 

And  strikingly  beautiful  as  was  this  foreign 
"  great  mother,"  no  one  could  deny  the  resemblance. 
Both  had  the  same  high  forehead,  the  same  mild  eye, 
the  same  wavy  black  hair  and  the  same  clear  cut 
features  —  features  greatly  in  contrast  with  the  flat 
and  somewhat  uninteresting  faces  of  the  typical 
Burmese  beauty.  The  portrait  indicated  also,  by 
AS  much  as  had  been  transferred  to  the  canvas,  that 
the  Dutch  lady  was  of  the  same  slender  figure  as  the 
graceful  Sofia,  who  was  fashioned  so  differently  from 
the  stout  figures  that  characterize  the  Burmese 
women. 

"  You  could  take  your  place  in  the  court  of  Queen 
Wilhelmina  almost  without  attracting  attention," 
remarked  Lady  Sunleigh,  when  Sofia  called  this 
lady's  attention  to  the  striking  resemblance. 

"  She  could  not  take  her  place  in  any  court  with- 
out attracting  attention,"  gallantly  responded  Cap- 
tain Ormonde  as  he  looked  unutterable  things  at  his 
dainty  hostess.  But  of  course  this  may  have  been 
exaggerated,  as  every  one  knew  that  Ormonde,  the 
younger  son  of  a  British  peer,  professed  to  be  madly 
in  love  with  the  Burmese  princess. 

It  was  Ormonde,  too,  who  was  most  frequently 
coming  out  of  the  cantonment  as  Prince  Sindhu 
and  Sofia  passed,  on  their  way  cityward;  and  he 
had  been  frequently  heard  to  remark,  that  he  could 


22  PAUL  ANTHONY,   CHRISTIAN 

not  for  the  life  of  him  tell  whether  he  most  admired 
the  Oriental  Sofia  in  her  Burmese  costume  or  the 
European  Sofia  in  her  smart  tailor-made  riding- 
habit.  As  Ormonde  was  authority  on  what  consti- 
tuted correct  dress,  whether  in  Pagoda  Quadrangle 
or  Regent  Street,  it  will  have  to  be  taken  as  a  fact 
that  the  Princess  Sofia  was  what  would  be  classed  as 
a  "  stunning  girl "  by  her  British  friends  anywhere. 

If  Sofia  had  any  especially  different  thought  of 
Captain  Ormonde  from  what  she  had  of  any  of  the 
others  who  paid  her  assiduous  court  whenever  occa- 
sion permitted,  she  did  not  suffer  it  to  become  pub- 
lic property.  Did  she  meet  him  at  a  reception  or 
chance  upon  him  in  her  drives,  she  greeted  him  as 
she  did  others.  If  she  were  pleased  with  his  open 
admiration,  she  gave  no  sign  whereby  the  observing 
English  matrons  could  arrive  at  anything  like  a 
definite  conclusion.  Only  once  was  she  heard  to 
express  an  opinion  concerning  him. 

It  was  an  early  October  day,  near  the  close  of  the 
rainy  season,  as  she  and  her  brother  were  riding  to 
town.  As  they  rounded  the  corner  by  St.  John's 
College  and  turned  into  the  old  boundary  road,  they 
saw  Ormonde  riding  down  to  head  them  off.  At 
the  left  was  the  Insane  Asylum.  As  Sofia  caught 
sight  of  him  she  said : 

"  See,  Sindhu,  there  is  his  honorable  self,  the  regi- 
mental chamberlain." 

"You  mean  Captain  Ormonde?"  asked  Sindhu. 

She  nodded  her  dainty  head. 

"  And  why  do  you  give  him  such  a  high-sounding 
title?" 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG-LAY         23 

14  He  gives  himself  such  high-appearing  airs,**  she 
/eplied.  And  then,  as  he  was  momentarily  hidden 
from  sight  by  the  asylum,  she  remarked  with  an 
innocent  laugh  as  she  waved  her  whip  toward  the 
building : 

"  Even  with  such  a  big  building  as  that,  it  seems 
we  cannot  be  entirely  free  from  all  the  insane  people. 
Is  it  not  so,  Selim  ?  "  and  she  patted  her  horse  ca- 
ressingly on  the  shoulder. 

Sindhu  smiled.  "  I  fear  the  honorable  captain 
would  not  feel  very  highly  flattered  at  such  a  sug- 
gestion. I  thought  he  was  a  great  favorite  with 
you." 

"  Appearances  are  often  deceitful,"  she  replied 
with  a  quizzical  smile,  "  as  you  just  remarked  when 
we  crossed  the  tramway  and  looked  up  to  where  the 
rails  seemed  to  meet." 

"  Especially  in  the  case  of  women,"  laughed 
Sindhu.  "  As  Gaudama  said :  *  Beware  of  woman 
when  she  displays  her  dainty  form  and  chatters  gaily 
with  foolish  men.' ' 

"  And  in  the  same  counsel  he  tells  why,"  she  re- 
plied. 

"  I  must  confess  that  I  cannot  see  where." 

"  Why,  does  he  not  say,  *  when  she  chatters  with 
foolish  men?  '  It  was  because  he  knew  how  foolish 
men  are,  that  Buddha  advised  them  to  be  careful. 
If  men  were  not  so  blindfolded  with  big  thoughts 
of  themselves,  it  would  be  much  easier  for  them  to 
perceive  the  thoughts  of  others,  not  only  about  them- 
selves but  about  their  neighbors." 

"  My  little  sister  is  growing  wise ! " 


24         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"Only  observing,"  she  replied.  "These  English 
do  have  such  funny  ways !  "  And  then  she  burst 
into  a  merry  peal  of  laughter. 

"  Come,  Selim !  "  She  gave  her  horse  a  flick  with 
the  whip  that  sent  him  flying  past  the  corner  as  the 
captain  emerged  from  behind  the  asylum  and  came 
to  a  salute  at  the  crossing  of  the  streets. 

"  Come  on,  Captain ! "  shouted  Sindhu  as  he  put 
spurs  to  his  horse.  "  It  is  a  race  to  the  station. 
We  will  give  the  young  lady  something  to  ride 
for." 

Sofia  caught  the  challenge  her  brother  shouted 
to  Ormonde,  and  pulling  in  her  horse,  gave  them  a 
chance  to  come  almost  abreast.  Then  touching  the 
lithe-limbed  Arabian  with  the  whip,  she  again  darted 
forward  and  was  quickly  in  the  lead. 

Scarcely  of  more  weight  than  an  English  jockey, 
Sofia  was  like  a  feather  on  the  back  of  the  flying 
thoroughbred.  Her  challengers,  though  mounted  on 
much  more  powerful  horses,  were  greatly  handi- 
capped by  their  additional  weight,  and  it  was  easily 
seen  that  they  had  no  chance  of  catching  her  in  the 
mile  and  a  half  run.  In  front  of  the  public  gardens 
both  of  the  gentlemen  pulled  up.  Not  hearing  the 
sound  of  the  pursuing  hoof-beats,  Sofia  glanced  over 
her  shoulder  to  see  what  had  happened.  Perceiving 
that  her  challengers  had  given  up  the  race,  she  pullod 
sharply  on  the  reins ;  but  Selim's  racing  blood  was 
up,  and  seeing  other  horses  ahead  of  him  on  the 
drive,  he  took  the  bit  in  his  teeth  and  bolted. 

Sofia  realized  the  situation  and  put  forth  every 
effort  to  stop  the  animal.  She  pulled  with  all  her 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG-LAY         25 

force  on  the  reins,  but  her  strength  was  not  suf- 
ficient to  stop  the  horse  in  its  mad  flight.  She  tried 
to  calm  him  with  words,  but  in  vain.  Down  past  the 
cathedral  he  ran,  and  turning  sharply  toward  the 
station,  he  took  the  guard  fence  at  a  leap  and  dashed 
wildly  up  the  railroad  track. 

By  this  time  Prince  Sindhu  and  Ormonde  had 
become  aware  of  the  situation  and  were  urging  their 
horses  to  their  highest  speed.  The  people  at  the 
station,  awaiting  the  incoming  train,  had  also  de- 
scried the  flying  horse  and  its  helpless  rider  and  they 
crowded  to  the  edge  of  the  platform  with  an  evident 
desire  to  intercept  the  animal  as  it  passed,  but  no 
one  appeared  brave  enough  to  step  into  its  path 
and  attempt  to  stop  its  headlong  flight. 

A  thrill  of  horror  passed  through  the  crowd  as 
a  shunting  engine  came  swiftly  down  the  track. 
At  the  rate  of  speed  it  was  going,  certain  death 
seemed  to  await  both  horse  and  rider.  Sofia  saw  the 
hazard  and  exerted  her  utmost  strength  to  wrench 
the  bit  from  Selim's  teeth,  but  in  vain.  She  was 
vaguely  conscious  of  her  extreme  danger,  and  was 
tempted  to  leap  from  the  horse's  back  into  the  crowd 
of  people  as  she  passed  them ;  but,  before  she  could 
put  her  thought  into  action,  a  man  sprang  from  the 
platform,  seized  the  horse  by  the  bit,  and  with  ap- 
parent ease  drew  the  animal  firmly  but  gently  to  a 
stop.  Before  the  Princess  could  express  her  thanks 
she  was  addressed  in  a  low,  musical  voice.  —  a  voice 
in  which  consciousness  of  power  was  most  discernible. 

"  You  need  not  alight,  miss.  Your  horse  is  now 
quite  manageable.  See,  he  is  not  even  nervous." 


26         PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Without  more  ado  and  in  the  most  matter  of  fact 
manner,  her  rescuer  guided  Selim  past  the  shunting 
engine,  now  brought  to  a  standstill,  and  out  into 
the  street,  just  as  Prince  Sindhu  and  Ormonde  came 
galloping  up.  Springing  from  his  horse  Sindhu 
rushed  to  his  sister's  side  exclaiming: 

"A-me!  It  was  a  miracle!  You  are  not  hurt, 
Mah  Mee?  Let  me  help  you  to  alight." 

"  I  think  it  is  perfectly  safe  for  the  lady  to  con- 
tinue her  ride,"  said  the  stranger,  who  Mas  now 
the  center  of  attraction.  "  I  am  sure  you  need  have 
nj  further  fear." 

Sofia  alighted,  but  quickly  turned  attention  from 
herself  by  exclaiming: 

"  I  am  not  hurt  in  the  least,  brother,  just  a  bit 
frightened.  But  let  us  thank  this  brave  gentleman 
for  saving  my  life." 

Sindhu  turned  at  the  implied  rebuke,  and  extend- 
ing his  hand,  said  with  a  voice  full  of  emotion: 

"  Pardon  me,  sir,  for  not  thanking  you  first ;  but 
our  sister's  life  is  very  precious  to  us.  We  are  very- 
grateful." 

"  So  grateful !  "  echoed  Sofia.  "  Now  that  I  know 
I  am  safe  I  shudder  to  think  what  might  have  been." 

"By  Jove!"  ejaculated  Ormonde,  who  could  no 
longer  contain  his  English  admiration  for  bravery. 
"  It  was  the  coolest  thing  I  ever  saw  done ;  and  I 
fancy  I  have  seen  some  cool  devils  in  my  day." 

"  I  think  you  estimate  the  value  of  my  services 
altogether  too  highly,"  replied  the  stranger.  "  A 
little  coolness  was  perhaps  necessary,  but,"  he  con- 
tinued with  a  quizzical  smile  at  Ormonde,  "  I  am 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG-LAY         27 

sure  the  devil  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  matter, 
unless  it  was  to  arouse  the  pride  of  this  beautiful 
animal." 

His  appreciation  of  the  perfect  piece  of  horse 
flesh  was  apparent  by  the  manner  in  which  he  stroked 
the  animal's  neck,  and  the  quickness  with  which  the 
horse  had  been  calmed  by  his  voice  and  touch. 

While  the  stranger  was  speaking,  Sofia  made  a 
hasty  feminine  estimate  of  his  personality,  and  noted 
that  he  was  a  foreigner  of  a  different  type  from  any 
she  had  yet  met.  Above  the  medium  height,  well 
and  closely  built,  and  a  picture  of  perfect  physical 
manhood,  there  was  that  in  the  smiling,  open  glance 
of  his  steel  gray  eyes  which  particularly  attracted 
her.  In  spite  of  the  somewhat  exciting  episode 
through  which  he  had  just  passed,  she  could  see 
that  he  remained  perfectly  self-possessed.  He  was 
as  calm  as  though  he  had  but  stepped  from  his  door 
to  meet  a  friend.  Around  the  corners  of  his  mouth 
played  a  disappearing  smile,  and  when  he  spoke 
he  had  a  way  of  compressing  his  lips  that  gave  just 
a  glimpse  of  teeth  as  white  as  ivory.  In  short,  he 
was  a  fine  looking,  well  groomed  man  of  possibly 
thirty-five.  Sofia  concluded  he  might  be  much 
younger,  or  he  might  be  considerably  older;  but 
it  was  his  low,  deep  voice  which  particularly  attracted 
her. 

"  See ! "  he  exclaimed  as  Selim  rubbed  his  nose 
against  Sofia's  shoulder.  "  See  how  gentle  he  is. 
It  was  not  a  vicious  runaway;  just  a  desire  to  show 
his  superiority.  We  all  have  that  desire,  you  know." 


28          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  By  Jove,"  said  Ormonde,  "  you  are  right.  That 
is  what  made  you  stop  the  brute." 

He  laughed  somewhat  boisterously,  but  with  the 
greatest  good  humor,  at  this  attempted  witticism. 

"  A  good  point,  that,"  laughed  the  stranger.  "  It 
makes  my  act  very  human  and  deprives  me  of  most 
of  the  glory.  Man,  you  know,  was  created  to  have 
dominion  over  all  the  beasts  of  the  field;  and  it  is 
not  difficult  to  assume  that  dominion  —  provided  you 
know  how." 

"  Well,  whatever  the  motive,"  exclaimed  Prince 
Sindhu,  quick  to  perceive  the  unimportance  that 
the  stranger  was  willing  to  attach  to  the  incident, 
*'  we  certainly  owe  you  a  great  debt  of  gratitude. 
Permit  me  to  introduce  n?yself."  He  extended  his 
card.  Then  turning  to  Sofia,  "  This  is  my  sister,  the 
Princess  Sofia,  and  this,  Captain  Ormonde  of  his 
Majesty's  service. 

A  momentary  look  of  surprise,  followed  by  a  smile 
of  recognition,  spread  itself  over  the  stranger's  face 
as  he  replied : 

"  Surely  this  is  an  unusual  introduction  to  one  of 
whom  I  have  heard  much  and  whom  I  have,  indi- 
rectly, come  far  to  meet.  I  have  no  doubt  your 
father  has  been  wondering  for  some  days  what  had 
become  of  me.  My  card." 

He  handed  to  each  of  the  gentlemen  a  bit  of  Bris- 
tol board  upon  which  was  engraved,  "  Paul  Anthony, 
Consulting  Engineer,  Bradford,  Pa." 

"  An  American !  By  Jove,  I  thought  so !  "  ex- 
claimed the  captain. 

"  Certainly   this   is   an   agreeable   surprise ! "   ex- 


THE    HOUSE    OF    TOUNG  -  LAY         29 

claimed  Prince  Sindhu.  "  Sofia,  this  is  the  gentle- 
man our  father  has  been  expecting.  He  will  be  quite 
as  pleased  as  I." 

"  I  was  but  now  on  my  way  to  his  house,"  said 
Mr.  Anthony.  "  It  just  occurred  to  me  that  I 
would  make  some  inquiries  about  the  trains,  which 
is  my  reason  for  being  here  at  this  time. 

"  A  most  opportune  time ! "  exclaimed  Sindhu. 

Sofia  gave  a  little  shudder. 

"  I  know  little  about  America,"  she  said,  "  and 
it  looks  like  a  great  bother  to  bring  some  one  away 
out.  here  from  that  new  and  far  off  land  to  tell  us 
how  to  do  things;  but  no  one  is  more  rejoiced  at 
your  honorable  arrival  than  I.  It  was  a  brave  and 
wonderful  thing  to  do  and  even  Selim  admires  you 
and  thanks  you.  See  how  kindly  he  looks." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Mr.  Anthony  as  he  patted  the 
horse  on  his  glossy  neck ;  "  He  looks  as  though  he 
were  glad  that  the  error  was  overcome  before  it  had 
a  chance  to  destroy  its  victim." 

"  I  do  not  know  what  you  mean  by  that,"  ex- 
claimed Ormonde ;  "  but  if  he  were  mine  I  should 
put  him  through  a  course  of  training  that  would 
take  the  devil  out  of  him." 

"  I  think  it  has  been  taken  out  in  a  more  effectual 
way,"  remarked  Mr.  Anthony ;  "  but  with  your  per- 
mission I  will  get  the  information  I  was  after." 

"  Pardon  us  for  detaining  you  so  long,"  said  the 
prince.  "  We  shall  see  you  later."  Then  turning  to 
Sofia  he  assisted  her  to  mount  as  the  stranger  raised 
his  hat  and  crossed  back  to  the  station. 


SO         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  A  devilish  cool  chap,  that,  and  a  gentleman, 
too !  "  said  Ormonde  as  the  trio  rode  away. 

"  Evidently  just  the  kind  of  a  manager  my  father 
needs,"  said  Sindhu. 

Sofia  made  no  remark,  but  as  she  rode  along  she 
pondered  upon  the  man,  and  the  strange  conscious- 
ness of  power  which  was  so  manifest  in  his  words 
and  actions. 


CHAPTER   HI 

TEACHING    THE    HEATHEN 

"  BOYS  !  Boys !  Don't  you  know  you  must  not 
fight?  It  is  wicked  to  fight!  Only  wild  animals 
fight !  Stop  it  at  once !  " 

The  two  swarthy  youngsters,  who  were  rolling 
about  in  the  dust  in  the  mission  yard,  paid  no  atten- 
tion to  the  words,  but  continued  to  scratch  and  pum- 
mel each  other  in  the  most  approved  jungle  fashion, 
until  a  firm  hand  was  laid  on  the  shoulder  of  one 
and  the  voice  again  said: 

"  Get  up  right  away,  Moung  Soh.  I  am  sur- 
prised to  see  you  fighting  like  wild  animals.  Are 
you  not  ashamed  of  yourself?  " 

"  Yes,  Mah  Kahla,"  said  the  youngster,  looking 
out  of  his  shiny  black  eyes  at  his  fair  captor,  "  we 
are  wild  animals." 

"  You  are  wild  animals  ?  What  are  you  talking 
about?" 

"  I  am  an  elephant  and  he  is  a  tiger,  and  he  said 
a  tiger  could  whip  an  elephant  if  the  men  on  the 
elephant  would  let  it.  I  was  showing  him  it 
couldn't." 

"  Such  boys !  Such  boys !  "  said  the  peacemaker 
as  a  smile  spread  itself  over  her  face.  "  Why  can* 

81 


32         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

not  you  be  good,  instead  of  being  such  little 
heathen?" 

"Yes,  Mah  Kahla,"-said  Moung  Soh  demurely, 
"  we  are  heathen." 

"  But  you  know  it  is  wicked  to  fight." 

"  Yes,  Mah  Kahla,  but  men  fight.  Even  the  Eng- 
lish fight." 

"  But  that  does  not  make  it  right.  The  Bible 
says :  *  Thou  shalt  not  kill.'  " 

"  Not  even  tigers  ?  "  queried  Moung  Soh,  and 
both  the  boys  looked  at  the  young  woman  in  the 
most  innocent  manner. 

"  Oh,  dear !  Oh,  dear !  "  exclaimed  the  teacher  in 
desperation.  "  Will  you  ever  become  civilized?  " 

She  took  the  youngsters  by  the  shoulder  and 
marched  them  towards  the  house. 

"  You  seem  to  have  your  hands  full  this  morning, 
Miss  Raymond,"  said  a  cheery  voice  behind  her. 

"  Both  literally  and  figuratively,"  replied  the  girl, 
smiling  over  her  shoulder  at  the  speaker.  "  I  did 
not  know  you  were  back  from  Bombay,  Elder  Mere- 
dith. When  did  you  arrive?  " 

"About  an  hour  ago.  I  was  just  coming  to  tell 
you  all  the  good  news." 

"  Then  you  succeeded  in  your  mission  ?  " 

"  Beyond  my  most  sanguine  hopes." 

"  And  we  shall  be  able  to  open  work  in  the  new 
field?  " 

"Unquestionably.  And  better  still  we  shall  be 
able  to  begin  at  once." 

Interest  in  the  news  she  had  just  heard,  caused 
Miss  Raymond  to  relax  her  hold  upon  the  captives. 


TEACHING   THE    HEATHEN  33 

Slipping  from  her  grasp  they  darted  into  the  door- 
way. 

"  For  ways  that  are  dark  and  deeds  that  are  vain 
the  heathen  Burmese  are  peculiar,"  paraphrased 
Miss  Raymond  as  the  youngsters  disappeared ;  "  in 
recognition  of  the  good  news,  however,  I  will  grant 
them  their  freedom;  but  tell  me,  what  said  the 
board?  " 

"  The  members  gave  their  unqualified  approval 
of  the  plans  for  extending  the  work,  and  regretted 
that  they  could  appropriate  but  five  thousand  dollars 
to  start  it.  Even  this  will  have  to  come  in  instal- 
ments ;  but  I  have  figured  that  it  will  be  sufficient  if 
we  are  economical." 

"  It  certainly  is  not  a  large  sum,  but  as  you  say, 
it  will  do  for  a  start.  Why  cannot  the  members  of 
our  denomination,  throughout  the  United  States,  see 
the  need  of  this  field  and  contribute  more  liberally  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  sure  but  we  shall  have  to  send  you 
back  as  a  missionary  to  arouse  sentiment  in  this  di- 
rection," said  Elder  Meredith  thoughtfully.  "  Some- 
times I  am  quite  certain  that  the  greatest  missionary 
work  is  that  done  at  home,  by  those  who  arouse  the 
Christian  conscience  to  the  need  of  funds  for  spread- 
ing the  gospel  of  that  Christ  whom  they  profess  to 
follow,  but  for  whom  far  too  many  do  so  little." 

"  I  should  be  perfectly  willing  to  undertake  such 
a  mission  if  my  duty  seemed  to  call  that  way,  for 
I  hope  and  pray  daily  that  something  will  happen 
back  there  to  arouse  people  to  action.  It  does  seem 
as  though  those  who  are  interested  in  spreading  the 
gospel  would  find  no  sacrifice  too  great.  Surely, 


84         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

giving  to  a  cause  like  this,  is  laying  up  treasures 
in  heaven." 

"  I  sometimes  think,"  replied  Elder  Meredith, 
"that  this  is  just  the  trouble.  A  whole  lot  of  pro- 
fessed Christians  seem  afraid  that  if  they  lay  up 
treasures  in  heaven,  they  will  never  get  a  chance  to 
see  them  again.  They  appear  to  have  not  only  a 
very  vague  idea  of  where  heaven  really  is,  but  likewise 
only  a  very  faint  hope  that  they  will  ever  find  the 
way  there.  What  the  world  needs  to-day  is  a  more 
practical  Christianity." 

"  If  some  of  your  former  congregations  at  home 
could  hear  your  views,  Elder  Meredith,  I  am  afraid 
they  would  think  you  a  bit  heterodox.  Still,  I  cannot 
fail  to  see  the  truth  of  what  you  say." 

"  The  longer  I  live  out  here  the  more  I  am  con- 
vinced of  it,"  said  Elder  Meredith.  "  India  may  be 
called  the  land  of  religions  and  of  religious  discus- 
sion, for  it  has  more  theology  than  any  other  part 
of  the  world.  Every  man  is  a  theologian;  and  yet 
see  how  impractical  it  all  is.  The  Hindoos  are  the 
worst  of  heathen.  The  Buddhists  recognize  no  God, 
and  have  come  to  almost  ignore  the  real  teachings 
of  their  prophet.  Their  worship  has  resolved  itself 
simply  into  idol  worship,  —  adoration  of  the  images 
of  Gaudama  with  which  the  country  is  flooded.  How- 
ever, I  often  think  this  idolatry  is  no  worse  than  the 
worship  of  the  money-bag,  which  is  set  up  as  the 
shrine  in  thousands  of  Christian  homes. 

"  But  I  did  not  intend  to  preach  a  sermon  this 
morning.  I  must  go  and  tell  the  others.  Will  you 
come  along,  Miss  Raymond?  " 


TEACHING    THE    HEATHEN  35 

**  Not  just  now,  if  you  will  excuse  me,  but  your 
sermon  has  done  me  good." 

It  had  also  set  the  young  woman  thinking,  and 
after  Elder  Meredith  went  into  the  house,  instead  of 
going  about  the  work  she  had  in  hand,  Elizabeth 
Raymond  turned  into  the  beautiful  garden,  which 
looked  so  inviting  through  the  great  arched  gate- 
way, and  sank  down  into  a  familiar  seat  under  a 
spreading  palm.  As  her  eyes  took  in  the  beautiful 
scene  before  her,  and  the  waters  of  the  Rangoon 
glistening  in  the  sunlight  in  the  distance,  her 
thoughts  went  back  to  the  events  of  that  Sabbath 
morning  two  summers  ago,  when,  on  the  banks  of 
another  beautiful  river,  she  had  seen  pass  out  of  her 
life  the  one  she  loved  best  on  earth.  It  was  a  hard 
blow,  and  it  had  been  no  easy  matter  to  reconcile  her- 
self to  what  she  had  been  taught  to  believe  was  the 
will  of  God.  Many  an  hour  had  she  pondered  upon 
the  seeming  injustice,  not  only  to  herself,  but  to 
those  parents  who  had  tried  to  do  so  much  for  the 
very  God  who  now  afflicted  them.  So  bitter  were 
her  feelings  at  first,  that  had  it  not  been  for  the 
promise  she  had  made,  she  would  have  given  up  the 
idea  of  foreign  missionary  work  and  devoted  herself 
to  a  life  of  social  pleasures. 

"Why  not?"  she  had  thought.  "Why  try  to 
serve  a  God  who  thus  unjustly  afflicts  us?  " 

She  was,  however,  too  keenly  alive  to  the  ideal  of 
real  happiness  to  be  long  deluded  into  believing  that 
there  could  be  enjoyment  in  anything  but  good. 
And  when  she  pondered  on  the  Scriptural  statement, 
"  He  doth  not  afflict  willingly  nor  grieve  the  chil- 


.16         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

dren  of  men,"  she  had  come  to  the  conclusion,  that 
it  must  have  been  unwillingly,  then,  that  God  had 
afflicted  her,  because  of  some  sin.  There  had  been 
a  certain  solace  in  this,  and  so  she  had  determined 
to  become  a  missionary,  in  the  hope  that  the  devo- 
tion of  her  life  to  spreading  the  gospel  might  atone 
for  this  sin,  whatever  it  might  be.  She  had  made 
diligent  effort  to  have  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
accept  her  services  and  had  finally  been  sent  to  India. 
At  first  she  had  been  located  at  Bombay,  where  she 
had  lived  for  the  greater  part  of  a  year.  Later  she 
had  come  to  Rangoon,  where  the  church  of  which 
she  was  a  member  had  special  interests. 

Elizabeth  was  a  young  woman  of  the  keenest  per- 
ception, and  it  had  not  taken  her  long  to  find  out 
that  there  was  plenty  of  work  to  be  done  in  the  way 
of  Christianizing  Burma.  Likewise  she  had  discov- 
ered that  it  was  no  easy  task.  The  Hindoos  in  Bom- 
bay had  been  bad  enough,  although  it  had  been  easy 
to  teach  them  how  much  better  the  religion  of  Jesus 
was  than  the  one  they  were  practising ;  but  the  Bud- 
dhists were  infinitely  worse.  Not  only  were  they 
perfectly  satisfied  with  their  belief,  but  they  would 
frequently  assert  that  the  teachings  of  Buddha  were 
so  near  those  jf  ihe  man  of  Galilee,  that  it  was  not 
worth  while  investigating  the  latter. 

"  I  would  lather  be  teaching  in  darkest  Africa," 
Elizabeth  once  said  to  Elder  Meredith,  "  where  the 
natives  worship  fire,  or  the  sun,  or  the  moon,  and 
where  you  could  easily  show  them  that  they  were 
real  unconverted  heathen,  than  to  try  to  teach  one 
of  these  self-righteous  Buddhists.  It  is  woefully 


TEACHING    THE    HEATHEN  37 

hard  and  altogether  a  thankless  task,  this  trying  to 
drive  people  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  their 
will." 

"  Only  the  gospel  of  love  will  do  it,"  replied  Elder 
Meredith. 

"  Oh,  I  feel  sure,"  rejoined  Elizabeth,  "  that  they 
must  ultimately  yield  to  the  workings  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  —  that  spirit  of  truth  which  shall  lead  into  all 
righteousness ;  but  it  is  a  hard  task  to  teach  the 
Golden  Rule,  with  a  practical  application,  in  a  city 
like  this,  where  half  a  dozen  Christian  denominations 
are  evidencing  how  far  removed  they  are  from  a  state 
of  ideal  affiliation.  There  are  no  sects  among  the 
Buddhists.  Why  should  there  be  among  Christians  ?  " 

"  There  should  not  be ;  and  there  would  not  be 
if  they  all  believed  as  we  do,"  laughed  Elder  Mere- 
dith ;  "  but  why  need  you  discuss  creeds  with  the 
heathen?" 

"  I  do  not.  But  even  the  children  sometimes  ask 
why  there  are  so  many  kinds  of  Christian  churches. 
I  tell  them  that  it  is  for  the  same  reason  that  there 
is  more  than  one  steamship  line  —  too  much  for 
one  line;  and,  besides,  different  people  want  to  take 
side  trips  and  stop  longer  at  some  ports  than  others. 
So  with  people  on  their  way  to  heaven;  some  want 
to  go  one  way,  some  another,  and  some  even  want  to 
take  side  trips ;  but  all  will  reach  the  same  place  at 
last." 

"  And  how  do  the  children  take  that  ?  " 

"  Without  comment.  If  they  have  confidence  in 
me,  they  have  perfect  faith  in  my  explanations.  The 
simplicity  of  their  belief  is  touching.  In  fact,  the 


38         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

manner  in  which  the  children  accept  the  Bible  is  the 
great  bow  of  promise  in  this  priest-ridden  land. 

"  But  one  of  them  gave  me  a  terrible  shock  the 
other  day,"  continued  Elizabeth.  "  A  soldier  who 
has  frequently  attended  our  meetings  went  up  the 
Irrawaddy  and  was  bitten  by  a  ngan  and  died  a  few 
hours  later. 

"  *  Was  he  a  Christian  ?  '  asked  one  of  the  boys. 

"  *  I  hope  so,'  I  replied. 

"  *  Then  why  did  he  not  shake  off  the  snake  as 
Paul  did?'  he  asked;  'Jesus  said  Christians  should 
handle  snakes  and  not  be  hurt.' 

" '  I  think  he  was  not  as  good  as  Paul,'  I  replied. 

"  He  looked  at  me  for  a  minute,  and  then  said : 
*  Are  you  good  enough,  Mah  Kahla  ?  ' 

"  You  should  have  explained  to  him,  that  the 
snakes  Jesus  meant  were  wicked  thoughts,  like  those 
the  Christians  find  in  Burma,"  said  Elder  Meredith. 

"  I  did,  and  then  they  wanted  to  know  if  it  was 
a  wicked  thought  that  bit  Paul  on  the  hand." 

Elder  Meredith  laughed  outright.  "  Well,  that 
was  a  stunner;  but  I  am  certain,  Miss  Raymond, 
that  if  there  is  any  one  in  this  field,  that  can  lead  the 
Burmese  out  of  their  heathen  ways,  you  are  that 
one." 

Elizabeth  had  serious  doubts  about  this.  In  fact 
so  literally  did  the  converted  Burmese  take  the  Bible, 
that  she  frequently  found  herself  wondering  why 
she  had  to  be  continually  explaining  that  many  of 
the  statements  in  the  Bible  were  not  to  be  taken  in 
that  way.  Back  in  the  States,  where  all  her  friends 
were  students  of  the  Bible,  she  had  never  realized 


TEACHING    THE    HEATHEN  39 

that  it  contained  so  many  apparent  inconsistencies. 
She  had  always  believed  that  the  early  Christians 
did  do  many  wonderful  works  through  faith,  but  it 
had  never  occurred  to  her  that  any  heathen  would 
be  so  benighted  as  to  expect  her  to  work  miracles, 
even  though  Jesus  did  say,  "  He  that  believeth  on 
me,  the  works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also." 

This  morning  as  she  sat  there  alone,  looking  out 
over  the  river,  some  of  these  thoughts  came  back 
to  her,  —  called  up  by  the  little  apparent  desire, 
among  the  great  mass  of  church  members,  to  make 
any  real  sacrifice  to  spread  the  gospel.  It  seemed 
to  her  that  if  she,  and  the  other  workers  in  the  field, 
wore  willing  to  devote  their  lives  to  the  work,  others 
might  at  least  give  the  needed  money. 

"  Surely  *  the  harvest  truly  is  plenteous,' "  she 
murmured  to  herself,  "  '  but  the  laborers  are  few ; 
pray  y  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he 
will  send  forth  laborers  into  his  harvest.'  But  how  ?  " 

Elizabeth's  reverie  was  brought  to  a  sudden  and 
noisy  close  by  the  clatter  of  horses'  hoofs  on  the 
pavement  outside,  and  before  she  could  gather  her 
thoughts  sufficiently  to  realize  her  real  whereabouts, 
she  was  in  the  arms  of  a  rosy-cheeked  little  lass,  who 
gave  her  a  sounding  smack,  exclaiming  with  a  brogue 
as  delicious  as  her  complexion:  * 

"  The  top  of  the  morning,  Mavourneen !  I  thought 
I  should  find  you  here!  Is  it  gardening,  you  are, 
or  studying  ?  " 

"  Neither.  Dreaming,"  replied  Elizabeth  with  a 
welcoming  smile. 

"  Dreaming !     You  dreaming,  Acushla  ?  "  and  a 


40          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

merry  peal  rang  out  over  the  garden.  "  I'd  never 
believe  it.  The  practical  Miss  Raymond  dreaming! 
And  who  is  he?  " 

"  It  was  not  he.     It  was  just  It." 

"  It's  dreaming  of  your  work,  you  are?  " 

"What  else?" 

"  Sure,  what  else,  indeed?  It's  dreaming  of  your 
work  all  the  time,  you  are.  If  any  one  in  this  be- 
nighted land  ever  goes  to  heaven,  it'll  be  you,  Ma- 
vourneen." 

"  I  think  we  shall  all  find  our  way  there  at  last, 
somehow.  I  am  not  sure  but  that  I  am  a  jood  deal 
of  a  Universalist  in  this  respect/' 

"  Heaven  forbid.  Sure  there's  some  people  I  hope 
I'll  never  see  in  heaven.  But  what's  the  dream?  " 

"  Elder  Meredith  is  just  back  from  Bombay  and 
brings  word  that  we  are  to  enlarge  the  field.  We 
are  to  start  a  branch  mission  in  Annakan." 

"  Annakan,  is  it  ?  Sure  I  uon't  see  anything  in 
that  to  please  any  one.  I'm  feeling  as  blue  as  a 
rainy  Monday,  because  we're  to  be  transferred  to 
Mandalay.  Old  Doctor  Weston  of  the  Ninety-second 
is  retired  and  going  home,  and  now,  just  as  we  get 
settled,  father  is  ordered  to  fill  the  vacancy.  Faith, 
an  army  surgeon's  daughter  is  under  orders  all  the 
time." 

"  But  you  did  not  have  to  come  to  India,  Nora." 

"  Didn't  I  ?  Sure,  what  would  I  be  doing  in 
Ulster  with  father  away  out  here,  and  no  one  to  look 
after  him.  Why,  he'd  be  sick  all  the  time." 

"  I  did  not  know  that  doctors  were  ever  sick,* 
said  Elizabeth. 


TEACHING   THE    HEATHEN  41 

"  Not  sick,  is  it  ?  They're  always  ailing.  I  tell 
them  it  is  because  they'll  not  take  their  own  medicine. 
Now  why  shouldn't  a  doctor  have  to  take  medicine 
to  get  well,  the  same  as  any  one  else?  Answer  me 
that." 

"  It  is  beyond  me.     I  thought  they  did." 

"  Divil  a  bit !  Ah,  forgive  me.  I  didn't  mean  to 
say  it;  but  it  slipped  off  so  easy.  It  seems  like  I'm 
on  intimate  terms  with  the  old  boy  most  of  the  time. 
But  tell  me,  when  are  you  going  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  decided  yet ;   but  very  soon,  I  think." 

"Oh,  Elder  Meredith!"  called  Elizabeth,  as  she 
caught  sight  of  the  superintendent  passing  by  the 
gateway.  "  Come  here !  I  want  to  introduce  you 
to  my  newest,  and  most  charming  friend,  Miss  Nora 
O'Keefe;  you  used  to  know  her  father." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  shaking  hands  with  Nora ;  "  and 
I  am  greatly  pleased  to  also  greet  the  daughter  of 
one  of  the  noblest  women  I  ever  met." 

"  Oh,  Elder  Meredith,"  exclaimed  the  girl  impul- 
sively, "  did  you  know  my  mother  ?  " 

"  I  met  her  when  I  first  came  to  India  sixteen 
years  ago.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  were  then  a 
tot  of  two,  living  with  your  mother's  family  in  Ire- 
land. In  your  mother's  death,  the  missionary  work- 
ers in  India  lost  a  warm  friend.  I  trust  we  shall 
know  each  other  better." 

"  I'm  sure  we  shall.  I  shall  come  over  soon  and 
have  a  long  talk  with  you  about  my  mother.  I  can 
scarcely  remember  her." 

"  She  was  the  angel  of  the  regiment,  Miss  Nora, 
and  many  a  poor  fellow  owed  his  life  to  her  careful 


42          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

nursing  during  those  troublesome  days.  Carry  my 
respects  to  your  father.  Tell  him  I  shall  expect  a 
call  from  him  soon.  He  really  has  more  time  than  I." 

"  I'm  afraid  not  now.  We're  ordered  to  Man- 
dalay  just  as  I'm  beginning  to  get  acquainted  about 
town.  I  will  carry  your  message,  and  something  else, 
too.  It's  Miss  Raymond,  I  mean.  Sure  I  want  her 
to  come  and  spend  the  afternoon  over  at  the  canton- 
ments." 

"  Be  sure  and  bring  her  home  safely,"  said  Elder 
Meredith,  bowing  himself  out  of  the  garden ;  "  I  do 
not  know  what  we  should  do  without  her." 

"  You'll  come,  Mavourneen  ? "  asked  Nora  as 
Elder  Meredith  left.  "  I  have  a  secret  and  I  must 
tell  it  to  some  one." 

Elizabeth  laughed  softly :  "  I  thought  secrets 
were  to  be  kept." 

"  Indeed,  so  they  are,  and  I  know  you'll  keep  it ; 
I  can't.  And  if  I  should  ever  dare  breathe  it  to  one 
of  the  gossips  over  yonder,"  —  and  Nora  waved  her 
riding-whip  toward  the  cantonment,  —  "  every  Eng- 
lishman in  Rangoon,  and  half  the  natives,  would 
know  it  before  I  was  twenty-four  hours  older.  Divil 
a  —  I  mean  never  a  one  will  I  tell." 

"  What  woman  could  resist  such  tempting  bait 
to  her  curiosity  and  vanity !  "  exclaimed  Elizabeth. 
"  I  shall  have  to  order  a  ticca  gharry,  as  the  mission 
wagon  has  gone  to  town." 

'*  You'll  do  nothing  of  the  kind.  If  you  have  any 
thing  to  do  that  can't  wait  till  to-morrow,  I'll  stay 
right  here  till  it's  done,  and  you  shall  ride  over  horse- 


TEACHING    THE    HEATHEN  43 

back  with  me.  Moung  Hay  Wai  is  waiting  with  the 
horses,  so  get  yourself  ready  and  come  along." 

Twenty  minutes  later  they  were  galloping  along 
towards  the  cantonments. 

"  Some  day,  before  I  leave  for  the  North,"  said 
Elizabeth,  "  I  want  to  get  a  day  off  and  go  out  to 
Victoria  Lake.  They  say  it  is  a  beautiful  drive  out 
the  Prome  Road  and  back  the  Kokine  Road,  through 
the  pineapple  gardens." 

"  Sure  I  was  out  there  day  before  yesterday,  and 
it's  about  the  ride  I  want  to  tell  you,"  exclaimed 
Nora,  as  she  drew  up  beside  Elizabeth,  and  let  their 
horses  slow  down  to  a  walk.  "  It  majr  be  the  begin- 
ning of  a  real  romance." 

'*  This  grows  interesting,"  laughed  Elizabeth ; 
"  but  I  know  I  could  not  half  enjoy  it  while  out  on 
parade;  and  that  is  the  way  I  always  feel  whenever 
I  come  over  to  the  cantonments.  I  have  a  conscious- 
ness of  passing  in  critical  review  every  time  I  ride 
up  past  headquarters." 

"  It  is  a  little  trying  to  one  who  isn't  used  to  it, 
but  it's  daily  bread  to  me.  Sure  I'd  feel  neglected 
if  the  boys  didn't  all  turn  out  to  inspect  me,  as  you 
say,  whenever  I  rode  this  way;  but  the  story  can 
wait." 

"yhere  was  no  failure  of  inspection  this  time,  for 
as  the  young  women  turned  into  the  "  ladies'  mile," 
the  points  of  observation  were  filled  with  officers, 
young  and  old.  As  they  reached  the  government 
garden  and  passed  around  the  northern  end  of  it, 
Elizabeth's  attention  was  attracted  to  a  little  man  in 
civilian  dress  who  was  fairly  bowing  himself  double. 


44         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Look,  Nora ! "  said  Elizabeth  under  her  breatK 
"  Who  is  that  funny  little  man  so  devoutly  worship- 
ping at  the  shrine  of  beauty?  He  surely  must  be 
one  of  your  most  humble  slaves." 

"  That,"  exclaimed  Nora  with  a  shrug  of  her 
dainty  shoulders,  "  is  one  of  the  people  that  I  told 
you  I  should  not  like  to  meet  in  heaven." 

Elizabeth's  face  indicated  surprise. 

"  Now  don't  look  shocked,  Mavourneen,  I  have 
no  objection  to  his  getting  up  there  if  he  can;  I 
only  said  I  didn't  care  to  meet  him.  He's  an  Eng- 
lish Jew.  His  name  is  Lombard.  His  age  is  a  mys- 
tery. He's  as  rich  as  the  original  Lombard,  and 
he  pesters  me  to  death.  Faith,  now  you  know  as 
much  about  him  as  I  do." 

Elizabeth  smiled  in  spite  of  herself. 

"  I  am  sure  that  it  is  a  very  complete  description. 
If,  however,  his  only  crime  lies  in  pestering  you,  I 
think  that  he  cannot  be  much  more  wicked  than  many 
others." 

"  Heigh-ho !  I'm  afraid  not.  And  in  his  way  he's 
well  enough.  But  here  we  are,  and  there's  father 
now,  storming  because  I'm  not  ready  for  luncheon. 
I'll  leave  it  to  you  to  pacify  him." 

The  pacification  of  Major  O'Keefe  was  not  a  dif- 
ficult task.  While  years  as  an  army  surgeon  had 
made  him  outwardly  as  hard  as  flint  and  as  rough 
as  a  boulder,  he  was  as  tender  inside  as  a  woman. 
There  was  nothing  in  the  world  that  he  would  not 
do  for  any  one  in  distress,  and  the  only  thing  that 
he  could  not  forgive,  was  disparagement  of  his  pro- 
fession. If  you  wished  to  incur  his  everlasting  en- 


TEACHING    THE    HEATHEN  45 

mity,  it  was  only  necessary  to  mention  medical  serv- 
ices and  fees  in  the  same  breath;  and  a  brother 
officer  who  once  declared  "  that  the  doctors  killed 
as  many  as  they  cured  "  was  shown  to  the  door  and 
never  again  invited  to  enter. 

"  You're  healthy  looking  enough  to  have  come 
from  old  Ireland,"  he  told  Elizabeth  the  first  time 
he  met  her;  which  was  the  highest  praise  he  was 
ever  known  to  bestow  upon  any  one.  From  that 
minute  she  had  been  a  favorite  with  him;  and,  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had  been  ordered  away 
from  his  snug  quarters,  that  he  had  been  having 
a  strenuous  morning  in  the  hospital,  and  that  he 
was  as  hungry  as  a  bear,  he  became  as  gentle  as 
a  lamb,  the  minute  he  set  his  eyes  on  her  fair  face. 

"  I  forget  how  hungry  I  am,  in  looking  at  you," 
he  said  after  he  had  assisted  her  to  alight.  "  You're 
the  only  offering  Nora  could  have  made  that  would 
have  appeased  my  appetite  as  well  as  my  anger.  But 
don't  spend  many  minutes  in  primpin'  or  I'll  not  hold 
myself  accountable." 

"  There  is  no  primping  to  be  done,  Major,  and  I 
am  as  hungry  as  you  dare  be,"  was  Elizabeth's  reply 
to  the  challenge;  and  she  proved  her  words  by  the 
manner  in  which  she  attacked  the  cold  fowl  and 
curry,  which  formed  the  chief  portion  of  the  menu. 

"  And  now,"  said  Elizabeth  some  time  later,  when 
the  major  had  retired  for  his  afternoon  nap,  and 
she  and  Nora  had  found  a  quiet  nook  in  the  garden, 
"  now  for  the  secret !  " 

For  once  Nora  seemed  at  a  loss  for  words. 

"  It  don't  seem  half  as  important  as  it  did,"  she 


46          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

finally  said.  "  I  expect  you'll  say  I'm  a  little  fool. 
But,  faith,  I  can't  help  it  if  you  do.  The  secret  is 
this:  either  I've  gone  and  lost  my  heart  to  a  man 
I  don't  know,  or  I'm  bewitched." 

"  One  of  which  would  be  quite  as  great  a  catas- 
trophe as  the  other,"  said  Elizabeth  in  a  matter  of 
fact  way,  although  the  "  secret "  nearly  took  her 
breath  away. 

"  But  tell  me  all  about  it,"  she  continued.  "  You 
know  there  is  a  belief  here  in  the  Orient,  that  love 
must  always  be  love  at  first  sight,  or  it  is  not  love; 
but  this  applies  only  to  the  natives." 

"  Sure  then,  I  think  the  spell  is  on  me." 

"  What !     It  is  not  a  heathen?  " 

"  Faith,  I  don't  know  whether  he's  a  heathen  or 
a  churchman,  but  he's  a  Burman,  —  the  handsom- 
est, most  magnificent  specimen  you  ever  saw.  Sure 
he's  finer  than  you  ever  saw  unless  you  have  seen 
him,  himself." 

Elizabeth  smiled  at  the  extravagant  praise  of  the 
girl,  and  a  feeling  came  over  her  that  if  this  were 
really  love,  and  not  a  whimsical  infatuation,  her 
blighted  romance  must  have  been  a  tame  affair;  for 
certainly  she  never  would  have  dreamed  of  bestow- 
ing such  extravagant  praise  upon  George  Andrews, 
much  as  she  felt  she  loved  him. 

"  You  think  I'm  a  foolish  girl  now,"  said  Nora, 
noting  the  far-away  look  in  Elizabeth's  eye.  "  But, 
Acushla,  sure  I'm  telling  you  the  truth  about  him. 
He  reminded  me  of  one  of  the  old  mythological  gods." 

Elizabeth  put  her  arm  about  the  girl's  slender 
waist  and  drew  her  up  t-»  her. 


TEACHING    THE    HEATHEN  47 

"  Tell  me  all  about  it,  dear.'* 

"  Faith,  there  isn't  much  to  tell.  It  all  happened, 
as  I  told  you,  out  on  the  drive  to  the  lake,  or  rather, 
on  the  drive  home.  As  we  came  down  through  a 
long  avenue  of  palm  trees,  we  heard  music,  and 
shouts,  and  merry  laughter,  coming  from  back  of 
an  ancient  pagoda.  Thinking  it  might  be  a  pwe 
of  some  sort,  we  turned  aside  to  see  it.  You  can 
imagine  our  chagrin  at  discovering  that  it  was  not 
a  pwe,  but  that  we  had  intruded  into  the  private 
grounds  of  some  Burmese  gentleman. 

"  In  the  center  of  a  great  lawn  was  a  group  of 
children  engaged  in  a  mimic  struggle  with  the  most 
perfect  specimen  of  Oriental  manhood  I  ever  saw; 
while  a  girl,  who  might  have  been  a  wood  nymph, 
so  slender  and  fair  of  form  was  she,  stood  playing 
on  a  zithern.  Between  her  peals  of  laughter  she  was 
urging  the  children  on  to  more  vigorous  attack. 

"  At  sight  of  us,  the  girl  ceased  playing  and  the 
young  man,  with  a  child  in  each  arm,  rose  hastily 
to  his  feet,  and  regarded  us  with  haughty  surprise. 
Faith,  it  was  a  picture  you  see  nowhere,  except  in 
the  art  galleries. 

"  Father  hastened  to  apologize  for  our  intrusion, 
an  apology  which  was  graciously  received  by  both 
the  young  people ;  and,  evidently  to  show  their  entire 
good  will,  the  young  man  bade  the  children  gather 
us  the  finest  pineapples,  from  a  pile  on  the  lawn,  and 
these  he  presented  to  us  with  the  air  of  a  prince 
bestowing  favors  upon  his  loyal  subjects.  Sure, 
when  he  approached  me,  I  was  that  flustered  that 
I  must  have  blushed  and  stammered  like  a  silly  school 


48          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

girl,  and  we  had  left  the  scene  behind  and  were  well 
down  the  road,  before  I  could  get  my  senses  together 
enough  to  see  what  a  little  fool  I  was.  I  was  that 
mortified  at  my  stupidity  that  I  could  have  cried." 

Elizabeth  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief  when  the  girl 
had  finished  her  story. 

"  A  charming  incident,  but  nothing  that  can 
really  be  called  serious,"  she  said. 

"Nothing  serious,  is  it?"  echoed  Nora.  "Faith, 
I  haven't  done  anything  but  think  and  dream  about 
him  ever  since.  If  that  isn't  serious  I'd  like  to  know 
what  is.  If  I  don't  see  him  again,  life  from  now  on 
won't  be  worth  living." 

And  the  girl  buried  her  head  in  Elizabeth's  lap, 
and  burst  into  tears. 


CHAPTER   IV 

GETTING    ACQUAINTED 

THE  rainy  season  was  well  over,  and  in  the  cosmo- 
politan city  of  Rangoon  the  advent  of  settled  weather 
was  hailed  with  delight  by  the  English  army  and 
government  officers  and  their  wives  and  families. 
Society  took  on  new  life,  and  drives,  breakfasts,  teas 
and  receptions  were  the  order  of  the  day. 

Almost  immediately  after  the  rain  ceased,  society 
at  <€he  cantonments  was  given  its  first  elaborate  af- 
fair, in  the  farewell  reception  of  Major  O'Keefe  and 
his  charming  daughter,  Nora.  The  announcement  of 
their  departure,  for  the  Mandalay  station,  was  re- 
ceived with  the  utmost  regret,  especially  by  the  young 
officers,  who  had  paid  Nora  loyal  homage  ever  since 
her  arrival,  and  numerous  were  the  plans  made  for 
long  and  secluded  tete-a-tetes  as  soon  as  the  weather 
would  permit  anything  like  an  extended  outing. 
Many  of  the  older  officers  and  their  wives  had  known 
her  mother,  and  the  occasion  of  her  farewell  enter- 
taining brought  out  every  one  who  could  possibly  be 
in  attendance. 

In  sending  out  her  invitations,  Nora  had  insisted 
that  Elizabeth  Raymond  should  receive  with  her. 
Elizabeth  had  at  first  demurred,  declaring  that  she 

40 


50         PAUL   ANTHONY,   CHRISTIAN 

was  in  Burma  to  teach  the  heathen,  and  not  to  hold 
receptions  for  the  ungodly;  but  Nora  had  insisted, 
declaring : 

"  It  can  be  your  farewell  reception  as  well  as  mine, 
and  it's  the  last  chance,  I  expect,  that  you  will  ever 
get,  to  meet  white  people.  Faith,  I'm  sure  when  you 
get  up  there  on  the  borders  of  Nowhere,  the  men  of 
the  hill  tribes  will  carry  you  off.  It'll  be  the  last 
anybody  will  ever  hear  of  you." 

"  I  do  not  believe  that  it  is  as  bad  as  that,"  laughed 
Elizabeth ;  "  however,  I  am  not  expecting  anything 
but  work,  and  as  for  the  hill  tribes,  I  imagine  that 
they  need  converting,  quite  as  much  as  any  in 
Burma." 

"  Unless  it  is  the  heathen  over  at  the  cantonments. 
Faith,  there's  no  lot  of  men  who  are  more  in  need 
of  sermons  and  prayers  than  some  you'll  meet  at  the 
reception." 

And  so,  somewhat  against  her  will,  Elizabeth  found 
herself,  for  one  night,  the  center  of  attraction  in 
official  Rangoon. 

"  By  Jove,  she  is  a  stunner ! "  was  the  sentiment 
expressed  by  about  every  officer  presented  to  her,  as 
soon  as  he  was  out  of  ear-shot. 

"Who  is  she,  Major?"  inquired  Captain  Or- 
monde, the  first  chance  he  had  to  get  his  host  into 
a  corner.  "  I  saw  her  riding  with  Nora  the  other 
day." 

*  Not  in  your  line,  Ormonde ;  not  in  your  line. 
She  is  a  teacher  over  at  the  mission." 

**A  missionary!     By  Jove,  you  don't  mean  it!" 


GETTING    ACQUAINTED  51 

said  Ormonde,  pulling  at  his  moustache.  **  I  think 
I  will  go  to  church." 

"  What  is  that  I  hear  about  you  going  to  church?  " 
inquired  Colonel  Ainslee,  who  had  come  up  just  in 
time  to  catch  the  last  few  words.  "  I  do  not  know  of 
any  one  whom  it  would  benefit  more." 

"  I  was  just  after  telling  Ormonde  that  Miss  Ray- 
mond is  a  missionary,"  explained  Major  O'Keefe, 
*'  and  he  immediately  wants  to  become  converted." 

"Oh,  no!  Oh,  no!"  replied  Ormonde.  "  I  said 
nothing  about  being  converted.  I  said  I  thought 
I'd  attend  church.  I  cannot  see  why  I  should  have 
to  take  a  back  seat  for  any  heathen." 

"  No,"  laughed  the  colonel,  "  as  a  heathen  you  are 
entitled  to  a  place  in  the  front  row.  But  you  need 
not  waste  any  time  over  at  the  mission,  for  Miss 
Raymond  will  soon  leave  for  Annakan.  They  are 
going  there  to  open  a  new  field.  My  wife  knows  her 
well." 

"Annakan?  By  Jove,  was  there  ever  such  luck! 
That  is  where  I  am  to  spend  my  leave  of  absence. 
Prince  Sindhu  has  invited  me  up  there  for  a  month's 
shooting.  Big  game,  you  know." 

"  Do  you  refer  to  the  tigers,  or  to  Prince  Sindhu's 
charming  sister?  "  inquired  the  colonel,  who  was 
thoroughly  well  posted  in  cantonment  gossip. 

"  Bedad,  what's  this?  "  exclaimed  the  major,  who 
had  only  been  out  a  few  months  this  time,  and  had 
not  taken  much  interest  in  matters  outside  the  hospi- 
tal. "  A  beautiful  princess  away  up  in  the  mountain 
fastness !  " 

"  The  handsomest  native  girl  in  all  Burma,  without 


52          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

a  doubt,"  replied  the  colonel.  "  Ormonde  professes 
to  be  a  devotee  at  her  shrine ;  but  I  must  confess  she 
is  most  too  much  of  a  barbarian  for  me,  although 
she  does  adopt  English  manners  when  she  is  in  town. 
When  do  they  return  north,  Captain?" 

"  Next  week.  And  it  certainly  would  be  a  great 
thing  for  Miss  Raymond  if  she  could  meet  them. 
By  Jove,  I  think  I  can  fix  it  if  she  would  like  to 
have  me." 

The  colonel  laughed. 

**  These  two  beauties  are  likely  to  get  you  into 
hot  water,  Ormonde.  Hill  princesses  are  not  easy  to 
throw  over,  once  they  are  caught." 

"  No  danger,"  said  Ormonde,  "  and,  besides,  I 
have  an  idea  that,  just  at  present,  her  mind  is  ab- 
sorbed with  a  new  idol,  —  an  American  who  saved 
her  when  the  horse  she  was  riding  made  a  nasty  bolt 
up  the  railway  track  the  other  day.  It  was  as  cool 
and  pretty  a  piece  of  real  pluck  as  I  have  ever  seen. 
He  seems  just  the  sort  to  capture  a  prize  like  this,  if 
it  were  not  that  her  brother  might  raise  a  row." 

**  How  about  her  father  ?  "  queried  the  colonel. 
"  Does  he  have  nothing  to  say  about  his  daughter's 
doings  ?  " 

"  Not  much.  You  see  the  old  gentleman  is  in  for 
making  money,  and  I  rather  think  that  a  son-in-law, 
who  could  help  him  to  swell  his  millions,  would  be 
quite  as  acceptable  as  the  poverty  stricken  son  of  the 
bluest  blooded  family  in  England.  The  son  carries 
the  honors.  The  father  gathers  the  rupees." 

"  But  how  about  the  girl?  "  inquired  the  major. 
"  She  seems  to  be  the  one  most  interested." 


GETTING    ACQUAINTED  5S 

"  Well,"  replied  Ormonde  slowly,  as  though  try- 
ing to  analyze  Sofia's  mental  make-up,  "  she  is  rea- 
sonably democratic,  although  she  has  the  tastes  of 
the  Indian  potentate.  She  is  a  sort  of  a  combina- 
tion of  her  Dutch  *  great  mother,'  as  she  expresses 
it,  and  her  Chinese  ancestors.  But  she  is  impulsive, 
like  all  the  Burmese,  and  if  she  were  a  man  would 
be  a  second  Buddha." 

"  A  good  subject  for  some  of  our  missionaries  to 
work  on,"  laughed  the  colonel. 

"  And,  by  the  powers,  I  don't  know  of  a  better 
one  to  take  the  job,  than  this  same  Miss  Raymond," 
said  the  major.  "  You  certainly  will  be  bringing  the 
potter  and  the  clay  together,  Ormonde,  if  you  start 
this  couple  on  a  trip  to  Annakan  together.  Come 
over  and  we'll  suggest  the  idea  to  the  young  woman 
herself." 

They  approached  Elizabeth  as  she  stood  sur- 
rounded by  a  group  of  admirers. 

"  Would  you  be  after  giving  us  a  minute  of  your 
time,  Miss  Raymond?"  asked  the  major,  % as  they 
joined  the  group.  "  The  captain  here  has  valuable 
information  to  present." 

"  At  least  he  thinks  it  valuable,"  explained  Or- 
monde ;  "  which  may,  or  may  not,  be  the  same  thing.* 

"  I  am  sure,"  replied  Elizabeth,  "  I  shall  be  glad 
to  hear  anything  Captain  Ormonde  has  to  communi- 
cate." 

"  This  has  to  do  with  your  trip  north,''  explained 
the  major. 

"  Then  I  shall  be  more  than  pleased  to  hear  the 
commnnication,"  was  the  gracious  reply. 


54          PAUL,   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"I  was  just  saying  to  the  major,"  explained  Or- 
monde, "  that  I  was  on  very  friendly  terms  with 
Prince  Sindhu  of  Bajipur,  in  whose  realm  you  are 
about  to  locate,  and  I  shall  be  pleased  to  act  as  your 
ambassador  to  insure  you  a  cordial  welcome." 

"  Surely  this  is  an  unexpected  piece  of  good  news," 
exclaimed  Elizabeth  enthusiastically.  "  I  know  Elder 
Meredith  will  be  overjoyed." 

"  To  be  sure,  —  yes,"  stammered  Ormonde,  who 
had  not  figured  upon  a  third  party  in  his  plan. 
"  And  who  is  Elder  Meredith?  " 

"  The  superintendent  of  the  mission,"  replied  Eliz- 
abeth. "  He  is  going  to  Annakan  with  us  to  start 
the  work,  and  to  serve  as  a  guard  on  the  trip." 

Ormonde's  face  brightened  as  he  replied : 

"  If  I  can  make  such  arrangements  as  I  have  in 
mind,  you  will  have  plenty  of  guards  on  your  trip. 
The  prince  and  his  sister  are  about  to  return  to 
Annakan.  If  you  can  be  of  their  party,  most  of  the 
obstacles  in  your  journey  will  be  overcome  in  ad- 
vance." 

Elizabeth's  face  beamed  and  Ormonde's  spirits 
rose. 

"  By  Jove,"  he  thought  to  himself,  "  I'm  getting 
on  famously !  I  think,  after  all,  I  prefer  an  American 
queen  to  an  Indian  princess." 

"  I  never  could  have  dreamed  of  such  good  for- 
tune," exclaimed  Elizabeth  joyfully.  "  Captain  Or- 
monde, you  have  our  most  sincere  thanks.  And, 
Major,  how  much  of  this  do  we  owe  you?  " 

"  Nary  a  bit !     It's  all  due  to  the  captain." 

"  Faith,  and  I  just  knew  you  ought  to  take  part 


GETTING    ACQUAINTED  55 

in  my  farewell,"  said  Nora  some  time  later,  when 
Elizabeth  told  her  of  the  plan  mapped  out  by  Cap- 
tain Ormonde.  "  If  I  were  only  going  the  same  way, 
instead  of  to  that  horrid  Mandalay,  what  a  perfectly 
gorgeous  time  we  could  have." 

"  Faith,  and  I  believe  we  could,"  replied  Elizabeth, 
mimicking  the  dainty  brogue  of  her  fair  friend. 

"  And  now,"  continued  Nora,  "  if  my  prince  would 
only  come  out  of  his  hiding,  I  could  be  quite  happy, 
—  even  though  I  am  to  lose  you." 

"  You  might  get  Captain  Ormonde  to  help  you," 
suggested  Elizabeth.  "  He  seems  to  be  the  Admirable 
Crichton  of  cantonments." 

"  Sure,  he  is  such  a  conceited  man.  If  it  were  not 
for  that,  he  would  be  quite  bearable.  When  are  you 
to  meet  this  prince  of  the  hills  and  his  barbarian 
sister?  " 

"  Captain  Ormonde  said  he  would  arrange  a  meet- 
ing in  a  day  or  two." 

"  Faith,  I  hope  it  will  all  go  just  as  smooth  as  a 
greased  pig,  and  that  you  succeed  in  converting, 
not  only  his  subjects,  his  bohs,  and  his  woons,  but 
even  his  exalted  Highness  himself."  She  made  a  deep 
obeisance,  indicative  of  the  exalted  personage  she  had 
in  mind. 

"  It  is  strange  you  have  never  met  the  prince," 
said  Lady  Sunleigh,  as  shn.  joined  her  hostesses,  some 
minutes  later,  and  the  subject  was  again  referred  to. 
"  He  and  his  sister  spend  much  time  on  their  estate 
out  on  the  Victoria  Road,  and  occasionally  call  at  the 
cantonments.  He  is  a  princely  looking  chap,  I  can 
tell  you.  The  family  residence,  in  Rangoon,  is  a 


56          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

quaint  old  place,  but  no  more  quaint  than  the  young 
lady  herself." 

At  mention  of  the  Victoria  Road,  Nora's  heart  al- 
most stopped  beating,  and  the  color  rushed  to  her 
face. 

"  You  see,  Lady  Sunleigh,"  Nora  explained,  "  I 
didn't  come  till  the  beginning  of  the  rainy  season, 
and  I  haven't  been  able  to  get  out  into  the  country 
much.  But  I  certainly  must  get  a  look  at  him." 

*'  Oh,  Elizabeth,  Mavourneen,"  she  exclaimed,  when 
they  were  alone,  "  what  if  it  should  be  the  very  same 
one?  Faith,  I  like  to  have  took  a  spell  when  her 
ladyship  was  discoursing  on  his  merits." 

"  Well,  you  will  soon  see  him,"  said  Elizabeth,  "  for 
I  shall  invite  you  to  go  with  us,  whenever  we  go  to 
pay  our  respects  to  his  Highness." 

But  Nora  did  not  have  the  chance  to  see  him ;  for 
when  Captain  Ormonde  called  on  the  prince,  the  next 
day,  he  had  gone  out  of  town,  and  it  was  nearly  a 
week  before  an  appointment  could  be  made.  The  ar- 
rangement was  very  satisfactory,  but  before  there 
was  an  opportunity  for  Prince  Sindhu  and  his  sister 
to  meet  Elizabeth  and  Mrs.  Johnson,  —  the  young* 
matron  who  was  to  be  Elizabeths  companion,  and 
whose  husband  was  to  have  charge  of  the  work  in  the 
new  field,  —  Nora  and  her  father  had  gone  to  Man- 
da?uy. 

The  result  of  the  reception  and  subsequent  events 
was  that  when  Prince  Sindhu  and  his  retinue  left  for 
Prome  a  week  later,  Elder  Meredith  and  the  other 
missionaries  formed  a  part  of  the  company.  There 
were  also  in  the  party*  Oo  Toung-lay,  the  father  of 


GETTING   ACQUAINTED  57 

the  prince ;  Isador  Lombard,  the  Jew  whom  Elizabeth 
and  Nora  had  met  on  their  drive,  and  who  had  a  large 
financial  interest  in  the  Pegu  Oil  Company ;  and  Mr. 
Whiteset,  the  president  of  the  company. 

The  city  of  Prome  is  at  the  northern  terminus  of 
the  western  railroad  line,  and  was  reached  by  our 
travellers  about  six  o'clock  —  "  sky-closing  time,"  — 
as  the  Burmese  say.  At  Prome,  arrangements  have 
to  be  made  by  those  going  farther  north  to  continue 
the  journey  by  water.  In  this  case,  however,  there 
was  no  delay,  owing  to  arrangements  having  been 
made  in  advance  by  the  couriers  of  Prince  Sindhu. 
Early  the  next  morning  the  company  was  sailing  up 
the  Irrawaddy  in  a  large  and  comfortable  piengaw; 
while  another,  similar  in  size  but  less  elaborate  in  its 
furnishings,  followed  behind  with  the  baggage  and 
camp  equipment.  < 

It  was  a  beautiful  morning,  and  cool  for  Burma; 
but  the  sun  was  hot,  and  therefore  the  ladies  gathered 
under  the  awning,  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  fell 
to  gossiping  about  the  things  which  most  interest 
young  women.  In  the  bow  of  the  piengaw,  the  men 
discussed  the  business  interests,  the  rice  crop,  and  the 
probable  future  of  the  country  under  British  rule. 

With  tastes  and  ideas  so  at  variance  as  those  of 
Elizabeth  and  Sofia,  it  is  not  strange  that  for  some 
time  they  should  have  found  little  in  common  upon 
which  to  converse.  Although,  during  the  first  few 
days  of  their  acquaintance,  they  talked  little,  except 
the  conventional  gossip,  yet  each  had  for  the  other 
the  greatest  attraction.  Having  been  brought  up 
under  vastly  different  conditions,  and  with  such 


58          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

widely  diverging  views  of  life  and  its  realities,  still 
there  was  a  similarity  in  the  natural  dispositions  of 
the  two  young  women.  While  Elizabeth  was  quite 
two  years  the  senior  and  of  a  much  more  robust 
physique,  Sofia  was  older  in  her  manner,  and  her 
lithe  and  supple  body  was  quite  as  able  to  withstand 
fatigue,  or  even  hardship,  as  that  of  her  more  athletic 
companion. 

Each  was  of  the  highest  type  of  the  civilization 
she  represented,  and  each  had  conceived  for  the  other 
the  greatest  admiration  before  they  had  been  in  each 
other's  society  twenty-four  hours.  The  innate  purity 
of  their  characters,  and  the  inborn  desire  of  each  to 
live  the  life  of  the  highest  good,  made  them  so  largely 
a  reflection  of  the  one  Mind,  that,  in  spite  of  their 
dissimilar  training,  they  could  not  help  being  at- 
tracted toward  each  other. 

And  so  on  this  beautiful  morning,  while  they  sailed 
slowly  up  the  historical  river,  past  pineapple  planta- 
tions and  through  the  verdant  landscape,  whose  every 
hill  was  tipped  with  a  pagoda,  and  while  little  Mrs. 
Johnson,  filled  more  with  matronly  thoughts  of  her 
new  home  than  with  the  sentiment  of  the  occasion, 
dozed  off  to  sleep,  their  thoughts  and  conversation 
turned  into  a  common  channel  —  home. 

"  I  hope  you  will  like  my  home,"  said  Sofia.  "  It 
is  too  bad  that  we  shall  reach  there  just  too  late  to 
take  part  in  the  Tamane  Hoththee,  or  harvest  festi- 
val. I  am  sure  you  would  enjoy  the  novel  celebra- 
tion." 

"  I  am  sure  I  would,  Princess.  The  name  suggests 
Thanksgiving  day,  our  American  harvest  festival." 


GETTING    ACQUAINTED  59 

'*  Tell  me  something  about  the  American  holidays, 
Miss  Raymond." 

Elizabeth  did  so,  dwelling  especially  upon  Christ- 
mas and  New  Year. 

"  Your  description  of  Christmas,"  said  Sofia,  "  re- 
minds me  that  you  are  the  first  missionary  that  I  have 
ever  met,  although  I  know  many  English  ladies  who 
believe  in  your  God.  I  never  thought  I  should  care 
to  know  a  missionary,  but  you  seem  different.  What 
does  your  sister  call  you?  " 

"  I  have  no  sister,  but  at  home  they  call  me  Bess." 

"  May  I  call  you  Bess  ?  "  asked  Sofia,  pronouncing 
the  name  with  that  softness  peculiar  to  the  Burmese 
tongue.  "  Mee  Bess ;  the  other  name  is  so  hard." 

Elizabeth's  eyes  filled  with  tears.  "  You  surely 
may.  It  will  remind  me  of  home  —  my  home  by  the 
river  so  far  away ; "  and  the  tears  coursed  down  the 
girl's  cheeks. 

Sofia's  warm  heart  was  touched.  The  loneliness, 
the  longing  for  home  which  the  words  and  voice  con- 
veyed, moved  her  to  sudden  tenderness  and  she  drew 
closer  to  Elizabeth,  saying: 

"  Do  not  cry,  dear ;  but  why  did  you  come  away 
out  here?  " 

"  It  seemed  my  duty  to  spread  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

"  We  seemed  such  heathen  to  you,  away  over  there, 
did  we  not?"  said  Sofia  caressingly;  "but  we  are 
not." 

"  If  you  are,"  said  Elizabeth,  smiling  through  her 
tears,  "  I  am  sure  it  is  only  because  of  your  teaching, 
not  because  your  heart  is  not  right." 


60          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Our  teaching  is  not  so  different  from  yours.  We 
are  taught  not  to  kill,  lie,  or  steal,  the  same  as  you. 
Listen  to  our  five  universal  commandments :  '  Thou 
shalt  not  take  any  life  at  all.  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 
Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery.  Thou  shalt  not  lie. 
Thou  shalt  not  drink  intoxicating  liquor.'  They  are 
not  very  different  from  yours." 

"  But  the  great  commandment ;  or,  we  might  say, 
the  two  great  commandments!  You  have  nothing 
like  them,"  declared  Elizabeth. 

"  And  what  are  they  ?  " 

"  '  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me.'  And 
the  second,  which  Jesus  taught,  is  like  unto  it :  *  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.'  These  —  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  interrupted  Sofia,  "  we  are  taught  to 
do  good  to  all  and  to  exercise  all  virtues.  To  have 
benevolent  dispositions  toward  every  one,  indiscrim- 
inately." 

"  But  you  have  no  God.     No  God  at  all." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  God?  I  have  asked  many 
of  the  English  ladies  and  not  always  have  I  been 
given  the  same  answer." 

"  God  is  the  Supreme  Being,"  explained  Elizabeth, 
glad  to  give  the  information  and  feeling  that  the 
way  was  opening  for  her  to  do  a  great  good.  "  He 
is  ever  present.  He  controls  the  universe  because  He 
is  all-powerful.  He  fills  all  space.  Then,  too,  He  is 
our  Father  in  Heaven,  *  a  kind,  loving  Father,  than 
earth  friends  more  true,'  as  one  poet  has  written. 
The  New  Testament  tells  us  that  God  is  love.  It  is 
thus  I  like  best  to  think  of  Him." 

"  The  English  ladies  have  told  me  much  the  same," 


GETTING   ACQUAINTED  <*l 

replied  Sofia ;  "  but  they  tell  me.  also,  that  God  sends 
sickness  and  suffering.  How  can  a  heavenly  father 
do  things  an  earthly  father  would  not  do?  " 

"  Does  not  an  earthly  father  punish  his  children 
when  they  disobey  him?  " 

"  Yes,  but  he  could  not  inflict  endless  punishment, 
as  some  of  the  ladies  tell  me  that  your  God  does. 
And  he  would  not  if  he  could." 

"  If  we  are  good  God  will  not  punish  us,  and  when 
we  die  He  will  take  us  to  live  with  Him  forever.  His 
son,  Jesus,  taught  us  all  about  that  when  he  was  on 
earth,  healing  the  sick,  and  raising  the  dead." 

"  If  God  sent  sickness  and  death  to  man,  why 
should  His  son,  as  you  call  him,  have  healed  them?  " 

"  It  was  the  way  of  salvation ! "  exclaimed  Eliz- 
abeth. "  The  sinning  and  sick  were  healed  because 
they  turned  to  Christ.  It  was  their  faith  that  healed 
them.  In  many  cases  Jesus  said :  *  Thy  faith  hath 
made  thee  whole.' ' 

"  Then  why  do  Christians  not  turn  to  their  Christ 
when  they  are  sick,  and  not  have  so  many  doctors?  " 

Elizabeth  searched  her  thoughts  for  a  reply. 
Finally  she  said: 

"  I  feel  that  we  should ;  but  we  do  not  seem  to  have 
the  faith." 

"  And  still,"  said  Sofia,  slowly  shaking  her  head, 
"  you  come  here,  thousands  of  miles,  to  ask  us  to 
accept  this  Christ  in  whom  you  have  so  little  faith. 
You  ask  us  to  trust  our  chance  of  happiness  in  Nir- 
vana—  in  the  next  life  —  with  a  God  who  sends 
sickness  and  death  upon  His  children;  to  trust  our 
hope  of  salvation  to  His  son,  who  can  save  you  from 


62          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

all  punishment  hereafter,  but  in  whom  you  have  so 
little  faith  that  you  cannot  even  trust  him  to  cure 
a  bad  headache. 

"  I  am  afraid  I  am  very  dull,  Mee  Bess,  for  I  can- 
not see  how  you  could  be  so  foolish  as  to  leave  aU 
your  friends,  and  come  way  out  here  for  the  sake  of 
such  a  religion.  To  me  the  teaching  of  the  lord 
Buddha  seems  so  much  better." 

"  But  surely  you  cannot  believe  in  the  worship  of 
idols  —  of  the  images  of  Gaudama  which  fill  all  your 
pagodas?  " 

"  We  do  not  worship  the  images." 

"  You  may  not ;  but  the  masses  of  the  people  see 
nothing  beyond  the  image.  The  worship  of  these 
images  and  of  nats  —  the  spirits  of  nature  —  is  all 
the  worship  they  have." 

"  So  it  appears  to  you.  In  the  same  manner  it  ap- 
pears to  me  that  in  the  Christian  churches  of  Ran- 
goon —  and  it  must  be  so  all  over  your  land  —  I  find 
Christians  worshipping  images  of  Jesus.  In  the 
cathedral  in  Rangoon  is  a  large  image  of  your  great 
teacher  nailed  on  a  cross,  and  I  see  people  kneeling 
and  praying  to  it.  They  do  not  pray  to  your  God. 
I  hear  them  praying,  *  Lord  Jesus ! '  What  is  the 
difference  whether  we  adore  the  images  of  Gaudama 
in  a  pagoda,  or  the  images  of  Jesus  in  a  cathedral?  " 

Elizabeth  started  to  reply,  but  was  interrupted  by 
a  call  from  Rev.  Johnson  to  come  forward  and  see 
a  harpooning  exhibition  by  one  of  the  natives. 

The  girls  made  their  way  to  the  bow  of  the  boat 
where  the  harpooner  stood  peering  into  the  water. 
After  a  few  minutes  there  was  a  slight  ripple  ahead, 


GETTING    ACQUAINTED  63 

and  a  fin  and  a  white  side  appeared.  The  harpooner 
strained  forward,  every  muscle  taut,  the  whole  weight 
of  his  body  resting  on  the  ball  of  his  foot.  Suddenly 
he  flung  his  harpoon  and  leaped  into  the  water  after 
it.  For  several  seconds  spear  and  man  were  lost  to 
sight.  Then  he  came  up  with  dripping  hair  and 
scrambled  into  the  boat  with  the  harpoon,  minus  the 
head,  in  his  hand.  He  had  driven  the  spear  clear 
through  the  great  fish,  and  left  the  head,  attached 
to  a  long  rope,  on  the  other  side.  For  a  tim«  the  fish 
struggled  fiercely  and  even  turned  the  light-draft 
piengaw  out  of  its  course;  but  it  soon  became  tired 
and  was  drawn  on  deck,  where  it  was  left  to  die. 

The  exhibition,  fraught  with  much  excitement,  put 
an  end  to  the  religious  discussion  ;  nor  was  it  resumed 
during  the  trip,  although  Elizabeth,  feeling  secure  in 
her  position,  determined  to  revert  to  the  matter  at 
a  more  opportune  time.  She  told  Mrs.  Johnson,  who- 
had  awakened  just  in  time  to  hear  the  last  of  the  con- 
versation, that  she  felt  that  Elder  Meredith  was  right 
when  he  said  that  India  was  a  land  of  religious  argu- 
ment, and  that  Buddhism  was  certainly  anti-Christ. 

If  Sofia  had  any  desire  to  know  further  of  ChriV- 
tianity,  she  had  not  yet  come  to  realize  it.  She  made 
no  effort  to  renew  the  conversation,  but  the  next  time 
she  and  Elizabeth  were  alone  began  asking  further 
questions  about  America,  its  manners,  its  customs,  its 
women  and  its  men. 

"  Tell  me,  Bess,"  she  exclaimed,  **  what  do  you 
think  of  the  men  in  Burma?  Are  they  as  handsome 
as  the  men  in  your  country?  " 

**  They  are  different ;   you  could  hardly  compare; 


'64          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

them,"  was  the  laughing  rejoinder.  "  Some,  I  should 
;say,  are  handsome,  and  some  are  not." 

"  You  have  a  particular  one  in  mind?  " 

An  expression  of  sadness  passed  over  Elizabeth's 
face.  "  No,  Princess,  all  men  are  alike  to  me." 

Sofia,  quick  of  perception,  realized  that  she  had 
touched  upon  a  delicate  subject  and  quickly  changed 
it,  exclaiming  with  a  laugh,  "  I  never  met  but  one 
American,  and,  as  you  say,  he  is  different." 

Then  Sofia  lapsed  into  a  reverie  of  how  different 
that  American  really  seemed  to  her  from  all  other 
men  she  had  ever  met.  Now  again,  as  many  times 
before  during  the  past  few  weeks,  her  thoughts  re- 
verted to  Paul  Anthony. 

Like  every  Burmese  woman,  Sofia  particularly 
loved  admiration.  She  was  proud  of  her  position  and 
of  the  homage  paid  her  by  her  brother's  subjects. 
She  was  pleased  with  the  thought  of  returning  home 
and  showing  the  foreign  ladies  how  exalted  was  this 
position,  as  well  as  showing  them  the  beauties  of  her 
mountain  kingdom.  She  was  glad  that  she  was  going 
back  to  a  city  where  she  was  recognized  as  the  first 
lady  of  the  land ;  but  the  trip  had  for  her  an  especial 
interest,  because  of  her  expected  meeting  with  this 
same  American,  who  had  dwelt  so  much  in  her 
thoughts. 


CHAPTER   V 

DHULEEP  MINGH'S  BAD  DREAM 

ORIENTAL  scenery  with  Occidental  settings  is  the 
incongruous  stage  picture  suggested  by  the  oil  fields 
of  Yenangyaung.  American  ideas  are  beginning  to 
make  themselves  felt,  but  it  has  been  slow  work, 
for  the  indolent  and  happy-go-lucky  Burmese  did 
not  at  first  take  kindly  to  the  energetic  and  hustling 
ways  of  the  Yankee  well-drillers.  But  activity  and 
growth  are  taking  the  place  of  stagnation  and  de- 
cay. The  hammers  of  the  riveters  now  beat  a  merry 
tattoo  on  the  sides  of  the  great  tanks,  in  progress 
of  construction,  while  the  sharp  buzz  of  the  sawmill 
drowns  the  drowsy  hum  of  the  insect  world,  which 
is  such  a  potent  factor  of  life  in  the  valley  of  the 
Irrawaddy. 

On  this  particular  morning,  early  in  December, 
in  spite  of  the  prevailing  atmosphere  of  activity, 
a  feeling  of  unrest  is  abroad.  It  is  to  be  seen  in 
the  group  of  native  laborers,  who  are  gathered 
closely  together  about  the  engine  house  and  machine 
shops.  It  is  felt  in  the  indolent  manner  in  which 
the  men  obey  the  orders  given  them  by  the  bosses. 
It  even  seems  reflected  in  the  wilderness  of  derricks, 
which  stretches  away  back  from  the  river.  There  has 
been  no  outbreak,  and  no  absolute  refusal  on  the  part 

65 


66          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

of  the  men  to  do  the  work,  for  which  they  are  em- 
ployed, but  there  is  evidently  within  them  a  smoul- 
dering fire  of  discontent,  which  needs  but  the  breath 
of  some  overt  act  to  fan  it  into  flame. 

The  only  place,  on  all  the  Toung-lay  holdings, 
into  which  this  atmosphere  of  inharmony  does  not 
seem  to  penetrate,  is  the  office  of  Paul  Anthony, 
manager  of  the  Pegu  Oil  Company.  Unmindful,  for 
the  time  being,  of  either  the  activity  or  the  unrest 
about  him,  he  is  sitting  at  his  desk  studying  ear- 
nestly the  pages  of  a  small  book.  Slowly  he  turns 
the  leaves,  entirely  absorbed  in  its  contents.  The 
view  from  his  open  window  is  inviting;  the  noise  of 
the  hammers  and  sawmill  is  penetrating;  the  odors 
from  the  freshly  cut  teak  and  the  petroleum  are 
pungent ;  and  the  nip  of  an  occasional  gnat  is  none 
too  soft;  but  he  is  insensible  to  all  of  them.  None 
of  his  physical  senses  has  the  slightest  power  to 
distract  his  mind  from  the  thoughts  the  printed 
words  convey,  and  from  which  he  is  drawing  inspi- 
ration for  the  day.  He  is,  for  the  time,  unconscious 
of  his  physical  self. 

After  some  minutes  of  study  he  shuts  the  book, 
and  sits  with  closed  eyes,  as  though  to  impress  upon 
his  mind  the  thoughts  he  has  been  gleaning.  Then, 
putting  the  little  volume  in  his  coat  pocket,  he  rises 
quickly  from  his  chair,  takes  a  bundle  of  plans  from 
his  desk,  and  starts  to  leave  the  office,  just  as  the 
superintendent  and  a  couple  of  English  foremen 
appear  at  the  door.  He  greets  them  cheerily: 

"  Good  morning,  Biggs !  Good  morning,  boys ! 
I  was  just  coming  out.  The  plans  of  the  new  re- 


DHULEEP    MINGH'S    BAD    DREAM      67 

finery  are  finished,  and  I  want  to  get  to  work  at  it 
right  away.  Come  in.  We  might  as  well  look  them 
over  right  here." 

"  No  trouble  about  looking  over  the  plans,"  said 
Biggs  as  they  entered ;  "  but  I'm  thinking  it'll 
be  some  time  before  we'll  be  able  to  begin  the 
work." 

"  That's  right,"  said  one  of  his  companions,  a  man 
named  Terhune.  "  The  beggars  are  getting  deuced 
restless,  don't  you  know." 

Paul  looked  at  them  with  a  quizzical  smile,  re- 
marking : 

"  We  will  just  know  that  there  will  not  be  any 
trouble,  and  go  right  ahead." 

"  That's  easy  enough  to  say,"  replied  Biggs ; 
"  but  I  reckon  we'll  have  to  know  there  is  trouble, 
when  we  see  these  superstitious  ignoramuses  leaving 
us,  because  they  can't  understand  what  makes  that 
electric  tram  car  go." 

"  Perhaps  we  can  show  them,"  said  Paul  as  he 
spread  out  the  plans. 

Biggs  shook  his  head. 

"  My  opinion  is  that  they're  lazy  and  don't  want 
to  work,"  said  the  third  man,  a  strapping  young 
fellow  named  Murphy.  "  But,  whatever  the  real 
cause,  it's  largely  the  fault  of  that  old  pohn-na, 
Dhuleep  Mingh." 

"  How  is  that?  "  asked  Paul.  "  I  have  talked  with 
him,  and  he  appears  to  have  more  intelligence  than 
most  of  the  men  on  the  works." 

*'  That's  the  trouble.  He  knows  too  much ;  or 
rather  he  thinks  he  does." 


68         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Paul  recalled  some  of  the  conversations  he  had 
had  with  the  man,  and  could  not  help  but  admit  that 
Murphy's  estimate  of  him  was,  to  a  large  extent, 
correct.  Having  been  raised  in  a  monastery,  he  had 
become  well  versed  in  the  teachings  of  the  pohn- 
gyees;  then  he  had  made  a  journey  to  Calcutta, 
and,  while  in  Hindustan,  had  studied  the  religion 
of  Brahma;  later,  as  a  household  servant,  he  had 
mingled  much  with  the  English,  and  had  listened 
to  the  words  of  the  Christian  missionaries.  He  had 
thus  acquired  just  a  sufficient  smattering  of  the 
various  teachings  to  fill  him  with  a  sense  of  his  own 
importance,  and  to  make  him  a  dangerous  leader 
of  ignorant  and  superstitious  workmen,  whose  relig- 
ion is  largely  a  worship  of  nats,  or  spirits  of  vari- 
ous kinds  and  descriptions,  and  who  look  upon  for- 
eigners, kahla,  as  worse  than  cattle. 

"  Then  it  is  really  Dhuleep  Mingh  you  fear  ? " 
said  Paul,  smiling. 

'*  His  influence,"  answered  Murphy.  "  I  tell  you, 
Mr.  Anthony,  it's  no  laughing  matter.  With  all 
due  respect  to  your  judgment,  I  believe  we  are  going 
to  have  trouble." 

"  I  think  Murphy's  right,"  said  Terhune.  Biggs 
nodded  his  head  emphatically. 

Paul  straightened  up  and  surveyed  the  group. 

"  Well,  really,  this  does  begin  to  look  serious," 
lie  said,  with  a  peculiar  inflection  of  his  voice,  which 
his  associates  had  not  yet  been  able  to  explain. 

"  I'm  glad  that  you  have  begun  to  take  a  sensible 
view  of  the  situation  at  last,"  said  Briggs.  "  I  tell 
you  it  is  serious.  The  natives  mean  mischief." 


DHULEEP    MINGH'S    BAD    DREAM     W 

"  It  is  not  the  natives  I  am  thinking  about,"  said 
Paul.  "  The  real  seriousness  of  the  situation  lies 
in  the  fact  that  three  strong  men  should  be  expect- 
ing and  fearing  trouble  of  any  kind." 

"  Oh,  we  ain't  afraid  of  the  trouble,"  said  Murphy. 

"  Then  there  will  not  be  any,"  replied  Paul 
quickly. 

The  men  looked  at  each  other  in  a  puzzled  man- 
ner. 

"  I'm  afraid  you  don't  exactly  understand  what 
Murphy  means,"  explained  Biggs.  "  He  means  if 
there  is  trouble  we  won't  be  afraid  to  handle  it." 

*'  I  understand  exactly  what  he  means,"  answered 
Paul ;  "  but  this  has  been  my  observation :  when 
men  go  out  looking  for  trouble,  they  are  pretty  sure 
to  find  it.  Therefore,  instead  of  waiting  for  trouble 
to  arise  and  then  handle  it,  as  Biggs  says,  the  way 
to  do  is  to  handle  it  before  it  comes." 

Biggs  took  off  his  hat  and  scratched  his  head. 

"  I  think  I  understand,"  said  Terhune,  in  a  hesi- 
tating manner.  "  Instead  of  acting  as  though  we 
were  afraid  of  trouble,  you  mean  to  go  ahead  just 
as  though  we  didn't  expect  any;  and  the  beggars, 
seeing  we  are  not  worrying,  won't  dare  quit." 

"Well,  something  like  that,"  said  Paul;  "only 
we  do  not  want  to  govern  the  natives  with  fear  or 
anything  akin  to  it.  As  I  said,  just  let  us  know 
there  cannot  be  any  trouble.  We  are  doing  what  is 
right,  and  they  must  recognize  it.  Where  right 
is  concerned,  all  men  are  really  of  one  mind  —  if 
they  only  know  it. 

"  Now   we  four    come   from   Christian   countries, 


70          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

where  we  are  taught  the  Golden  Rule  of,  *  Do  unto 
others  as  you  would  have  others  do  unto  you.'  If 
we  do  this,  it  will  invariably  cause  others  to  do  the 
same,  because  to  love  is  to  reflect  God,  who  is  Love." 

The  men  looked  at  each  other  in  an  embarrassed 
manner. 

"  It's  a  funny  way  you  have  of  mixing  up  your 
religion  with  your  business,  Mr.  Anthony,"  said 
Murphy ;  "  but  I've  noticed  in  the  few  weeks  you've 
been  here,  that  somehow  or  other  you  seem  to  make 
'em  fit,  so  it  may  be  you're  right." 

"  What  I  am  telling  you,"  said  Paul,  "  is  a  sci- 
entific fact.  It  can  be  proven." 

"  Well,  I'm  willing  to  let  it  go  that  way  for  the 
present,"  said  Biggs.  "  Suppose  we  take  a  look  at 
the  plans." 

A  half  hour  was  consumed  in  looking  over  the 
drawings  and  in  determining  the  details. 

"  The  reason  I  am  so  anxious  to  get  this  work 
under  way  at  once,"  explained  Paul  as  the  men  were 
leaving  the  office,  "  is  that  I  am  expecting  a  visit 
from  the  owners." 

"  We  ought  to  be  able  to  lay  out  the  foundation 
lines  to-day,"  said  Biggs. 

"  I  am  sure  we  ought,"  answered  Paul.  "  All 
we  need  to  do  is  to  know  there  cannot  be  any 
trouble,  and  the  reason." 

As  he  followed  the  men  out,  Paul  stopped  for  a 
minute  to  survey  the  scene.  In  front  was  the  oil 
field  with  its  miles  of  derricks  and  tanks.  In  the 
rear,  some  three  miles  away,  the  Irrawaddy  wound 
its  way  through  the  level  plain.  Back  of  the  little 


DHULEEP    MINGH'S    BAD    DREAM     71 

hillock  upon  which  the  office  was  located  were  the 
quarters  of  the  men.  Down  through  a  small  cut, 
an  electric  tramway  had  been  built,  extending  to 
the  river.  Just  across  the  highway,  that  ran  down 
through  the  oil  field,  was  another  hillock  upon  which 
a  pagoda  had  been  built,  and  in  which  was  one  of 
the  most  famous  images  of  Gaudama.  In  other 
directions,  on  other  little  hills,  were  similar  pagodas. 
The  scene  was  such  a  combination  of  religious  super- 
stition and  advanced  civilization,  as  could  not  fail 
to  impress  one  who  was  at  all  interested  in  meta- 
physical conditions. 

For  just  a  moment  Paul  allowed  this  thought  to 
linger  in  his  mind,  while  he  took  a  hasty  review  of 
the  changes  he  had  made  during  the  six  or  eight 
weeks  in  which  he  had  been  in  charge  of  the  work. 
Then  he  descended  the  hill  and  crossed  over  to  a 
group  of  kulis  gathered  about  the  trolley  car,  — 
all  deeply  interested  in  solving  the  mystery  of  its 
motive  power.  Among  them  was  the  old  man,  Dhu- 
leep  Mingh,  of  whom  Murphy  had  spoken.  As  Paul 
approached,  the  men  drew  back  a  few  steps  and 
allowed  him  to  come  near  the  car. 

"  Get  aboard  and  we  will  take  a  ride  down  to  the 
river,"  he  exclaimed  as  the  men  acknowledged,  in  a 
somewhat  surly  manner,  his  morning  greeting. 

The  natives  looked  at  each  other  and  shook  their 
heads. 

**  The  pohn-na  says  it  is  the  work  of  evil  nats," 
said  one  of  the  men,  more  bold  than  the  rest. 

"  How  can  that  be?  "  asked  Paul.  "  Is  not  the 
car  doing  good?  Does  it  not  help  us  to  carry  the 


72         PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

wood  and  iron,  from  the  river,  faster  than  we  could 
do  it  with  the  elephants?  And  is  not  that  good? 
Evil  nats  do  only  evil  deeds.  This  must  be  a  good 
spirit  if  it  helps  us  do  our  work." 

The  men  looked  at  each  other,  but  said  nothing. 

"  You'll  never  convince  them  that  the  pohn-gyees 
are  wrong,"  said  Biggs,  who  had  come  up  just  in 
time  to  hear  the  conversation. 

"  Such  a  doubting  Thomas ! "  laughed  Paul. 
"  Let  us  know  that  these  men,  ignorant  as  they 
appear,  can  be  taught  the  truth,  just  as  well  as  you 
and  I.  Now  men,  get  aboard,  and  we  will  run  down 
to  the  river  and  bring  back  a  load  of  fish." 

"  What  makes  it  go  ?  "  asked  the  same  young  fel- 
low who  had  spoken  before.  "  We  can  see  nothing. 
It  must  be  an  evil  spirit !  " 

Paul  thought  for  a  moment,  then  took  from  his 
pocket  a  parlor  match.  Holding  it  up,  he  asked: 

"  Is  there  any  fire  in  this  ?  " 

The  men  smiled  and  nodded  their  heads. 

"  But  you  cannot  see  it !  " 

Again  they  smiled  and  looked  at  each  other.  Paul 
struck  the  match  on  the  side  of  the  car,  and  as  it 
blazed  up,  said: 

"  There  is  the  fire  which  you  all  knew  was  there. 
You  could  all  have  made  it  burn  just  as  I  did,  be- 
cause you  knew  how." 

The  men  laughed,  and  Dhuleep  Mingh,  who  had 
up  to  this  time  said  nothing,  exclaimed: 

"  The  English  Sahib  is  a  wise  man,  but  the  fire 
stick  does  not  make  the  devil  machine  go.** 

"You  are  also  a  wise  man,  Dhuleep  Mingh,"  re- 


DHULEEP    MINGH'S    BAD    DREAM     73 

plied  Paul.  "  Although  we  see  it  not,  there  is  fire 
in  the  wire  up  there.  That  fire,  coming  down  the 
pole  into  these  wheels,  makes  the  machine  go,  —  not 
the  evil  machine,  but  the  good  machine.  Look !  " 

Taking  a  long-handled  coal  rake,  which  chanced 
to  be  leaning  against  the  engine  house,  Paul  stepped 
upon  the  platform  of  the  car,  and  touched  the  trolley 
wire  above,  generating  a  shower  of  electric  sparks. 
The  men  looked  in  amazement. 

"  I  bring  the  fire  from  the  wire,"  Paul  exclaimed, 
"  because  I  know  how.  Because  I,  and  the  other 
foreigners,  know  how,  we  bring  the  fire  into  the 
machine,  and  it  makes  the  car  go.  Some  day  you, 
also,  will  learn  to  do  this,  just  as  you  have  learned 
how  to  light  the  fire  stick." 

Paul's  words  and  manner  had  their  effect.  The 
men  fell  to  chattering,  and  several  climbed  on  to  the 
car  and  touched  the  wire  with  the  rake.  Upon  fur- 
ther invitation  the  entire  number  clambered  up 
around  Paul,  and  were  soon  spinning  along  towards 
the  river,  while  Biggs  and  the  English  motorman 
on  the  front  platform  congratulated  themselves  upon 
the  probable  avoidance  of  trouble  by  this  very  simple 
lesson  of  instruction. 

"  Sure  the  chief  is  a  wonder,"  said  Murphy  when 
Biggs  told  the  story  at  the  dinner  table. 

"  And  still  it  was  a  simple  thing  to  do,"  said 
Biggs.  "  The  idea  of  using  a  match  to  —  Look !  " 
he  suddenly  exclaimed,  pointing  out  of  the  open  door. 

Across  the  track  a  large  group  of  kulis  were  gath- 
ered, and  the  scene  of  the  morning  was  being  re- 
enacted,  with  old  Dhuleep  Mingh  as  the  demonstra- 


74         PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

tor.  Taking  a  match  from  the  fold  of  his  tunic,  he 
held  it  up  to  the  crowd.  Then  he  lighted  it  and 
could  be  seen  gesticulating  and  explaining.  Next 
he  picked  up  the  rake,  but  the  car  having  been  run 
down  the  track,  and  there  being  nothing  upon  which 
he  could  stand,  the  wooden  handle  was  not  long 
enough  to  reach  the  wire.  He  looked  about  for 
something  longer  and  espied  a  piece  of  iron  rod. 
Before  those  in  the  house  across  the  way  could  inter- 
fere or  warn  him  of  his  danger,  he  had  raised  the 
rod  aloft  and  touched  the  wire. 

As  before,  there  was  a  shower  of  sparks,  but  Dhu- 
leep  Mingh,  stricken  by  the  current  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred volts,  fell  senseless  to  the  ground. 

A  cry  of  horror  burst  from  many  throats.  The 
natives  drew  back  in  awe,  while  the  old  man  lay 
as  one  dead,  a  little  wreath  of  smoke,  pungent  of 
burning  flesh,  floating  from  his  outstretched  hands. 
The  men  at  dinner  rushed  from  the  table  to  his  as- 
sistance. Biggs  and  Murphy  reached  his  side  as 
Paul  came  hastening  down  the  hill. 

"  Bring  him  right  into  my  office,"  he  said. 

"  Yes,  and  hurry  for  the  doctor,"  exclaimed  Biggs, 
bending  over  the  prostrate  form.  "  That's  a  pretty 
strong  current  and  I'm  afraid  he's  done  for.  He 
has  almost  no  pulse." 

"  We  will  know  that  Man's  life  isn't  governed  by 
pulse  beats,"  replied  Paul  as  he  turned  his  face  from 
the  scene  and  mentally  declared  the  freedom  and 
sovereignty  of  the  spiritual  man,  —  that  he  is  not 
subject  to  injury  or  death.  "  Pick  him  up  gently 
and  let  us  know  that  God  protects  His  children." 


DHULEEP    MINGH'S    BAD    DREAM      75 

"  I  wish  I  had  your  faith,"  Murphy  said,  looking 
quickly  at  the  speaker. 

"  Something  besides  faith  is  needed  now,"  said 
Biggs.  "  Hurry  for  the  doctor !  I  saw  him  going 
toward  the  other  end  of  the  field  with  his  medicine 
bag  half  an  hour  ago."  Then  to  Paul:  "That 
object  lesson  of  yours,  Mr.  Anthony,  has  turned  out 
the  worst  thing  that  could  possibly  have  happened." 

Paul  made  no  reply  to  the  implied  censure,  but  di- 
rected the  removal  of  the  stricken  man  to  his  office. 

"  Your  work,"  he  said  to  Biggs  in  a  tone  of  au- 
thority, "  is  to  stay  here  and  quiet  the  natives  as  best 
you  can.  I  will  look  after  the  rest." 

As  soon  as  the  unconscious  form  of  the  aged  kuli 
was  laid  on  the  leather  couch,  with  which  the  office 
was  supplied,  Paul  cleared  the  room  of  the  men  who 
had  borne  it  thither,  and  stationed  one  on  the  outside 
to  notify  him  as  soon  as  Murphy  returned  with  the 
doctor.  Then,  closing  the  door,  he  seated  himself 
at  his  desk  and  bowed  his  head  in  prayer.  For  a 
long  time  he  thus  sat  alone  with  God.  Then,  sud- 
denly rising,  he  stepped  to  the  side  of  the  still  un- 
conscious man,  and  taking  his  limp  hand,  he  said: 

"  Come,  Dhuleep  Mfngh,  you  have  slept  long 
enough.  It  is  time  to  awake !  " 

For  a  minute,  perhaps,  he  stood  looking  at  the 
pallid  face.  Gradually  a  flush  of  color  came  to  the 
lips  and  the  eyelids  quivered. 

Paul  again  raised  his  eyes  in  prayer. 

"  Father  in  heaven,"  he  murmured,  "  I  thank  Thee 
that  Thou  nearest  Thy  children  always." 

Again  he  spoke  to  the  now  slowly  reviving  man. 


76          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Come,  Dhuleep  Mingk,  you  have  had  a  long  nap 
It  is  time  to  go  to  work." 

The  old  kuli  opened  his  eyes,  looked  a  moment  into 
the  face  above  him,  and  sat  up. 

"  Ram  has  given  me  a  bad  dream,  Sahib." 

"  Yes,  it  was  a  bad  dream,"  said  Paul ;  "  but  God, 
the  only  God,  of  whom  we  have  learned  through  His 
son,  Christ  Jesus,  has  awakened  you.  You  can  go 
back  to  your  fellow  workmen.  They  will  be  looking 
for  you." 

The  old  man  looked  at  him  fixedly  for  a  moment, 
as  though  trying  to  grasp  the  meaning  of  his  words, 
then  slowly  laid  hold  of  the  desk  to  assist  himself  to 
rise.  A  twinge  of  pain  caused  him  to  look  at  his 
hand. 

**  You  picked  up  a  piece  of  hot  iron,"  explained 
Paul.  "  It  will  soon  be  well.  Come  up  and  see  me 
to-night." 

"  Yes,  Sahib." 

Paul  opened  the  office  door,  and  the  old  man  passed 
out,  just  as  the  company  doctor,  accompanied  by 
Murphy,  ascended  the  hill.  An  exclamation  of  great 
surprise  escaped  the  latter. 

"  I  see  the  old  chap  has  come  to,"  said  the  doctor. 
"  I  guess  he  didn't  get  as  heavy  a  shock  as  you 
thought." 

"  Not  as  some  thought,"  replied  Paul. 

"  How  art  your  hands,  old  man  ?  "  asked  the  doc- 
tor. 

Dhuleep  Mingh  held  them  out  for  the  doctor  to 
examine.  "  There  is  no  pain,"  he  said. 

"  Just  a  little  burn,"  remarked  the  doctor,  look* 


DHULEEP    MINOR'S    BAD    DREAM      77 

ing  at  them ;  "  not  even  enough  to  blister  them.  I 
am  surprised  the  shock  was  heavy  enough  to  render 
him  unconscious.  It  must  have  been  his  age." 

"  Or  a  mortal  law,"  ejaculated  Paul,  as  he  re- 
turned to  his  office. 

"  Doc,"  said  Murphy  as  Paul  passed  from  sight, 
**  you  may  think  he  wasn't  hurt  much,  but  I'll  leave 
it  to  Biggs  if  the  old  heathen  wasn't  as  good  as 
dead,  and  his  hands  smoked  like  an  oil  tank  on  fire." 

"  Pshaw !  "  exclaimed  the  doctor.  "  I've  seen  men 
get  3000  volts  and  they're  alive  to-day." 

Excitement  among  the  natives  had  run  high  dur- 
ing Dhuleep  Mingh's  bad  half  hour,  but  when  the 
old  man  appeared  among  them  with  no  result  of  his 
shock  apparent,  other  than  a  slight  burn  on  his 
hands,  the  excitement  subsided,  and  the  men  crowded 
around  him  to  get  his  explanation  of  the  affair. 

"  The  kahla  are  wise,"  he  said,  "  though  they  be 
but  animals.  In  their  own  country  they  learn  many 
things,  and  they  know  how  to  handle  the  fire  wire, 
Dhuleep  Mingh  has  yet  much  to  learn." 

Questioned  further,  he  reiterated  his  statement  to 
Paul,  that  Ram  had  given  him  a  bad  dream. 

"  But  the  God  of  the  kahla  awakened  me  out  of 
it,"  he  declared. 

When  he  returned  to  the  office  that  night,  in  ac- 
cordance with  Paul's  instruction,  he  was  full  of  curi- 
osity. 

"  Is  the  Sahib's  God,"  he  asked,  "  the  same  as  the 
God  of  the  English  missionaries  in  Calcutta?  " 

"  There  is  but  one  God,"  replied  Paul. 

"  So  say  the  Mohammedans.    So  say  many  others, 


78          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

but  all  have  different  prophets,  and  all  worship  God 
in  a  different  way.  How  shall  we  know  which  is 
right?" 

"  *  The  hour  cometh  and  now  is,' "  quoth  Paul 
from  the  Gospel  of  St.  John,  "  '  when  the  true  wor- 
shippers shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in 
truth.'  This  was  the  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ." 

The  face  of  the  old  man  indicated  that  he  did  not 
understand. 

"  But  may  not  your  great  prophet,  Jesus,  have 
been  wrong?  He  taught  many  things  that  the  mis- 
sionaries do  not  do.  He  healed  the  sick  and  raised 
the  dead,  and  he  taught  that  his  followers  should 
do  the  same.  But,  Sahib,  I  have  watched  them. 
They  do  not  do  it.  Why  is  that?  " 

"  Jesus  said  if  they  believed  in  him  they  should 
do  the  works  he  did,"  replied  Paul. 

"  But,  Sahib,  they  must  believe  in  him,  or  how 
could  they  come  away  out  to  this  land  to  teach  about 
him?" 

"  It  is  not  for  you  or  me  to  say  what,  or  how 
much  they  believe.  They  must  be  judged  by  Jesus' 
own  words :  '  He  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works 
that  I  do  shall  he  do  also ; '  and,  '  by  their  fruits  ye 
shall  know  them.'  If  they  do  not  do  the  works,  we 
can  only  have  our  opinion  of  their  belief." 

"  How  much  does  the  Sahib  believe?  "  and  Dhu- 
leep  Mingh  fixed  his  eyes  earnestly  upon  Paul. 

Paul  returned  his  gaze  with  the  same  earnestness 
as  he  said: 

"  Is  not  Dhuleep  Mingh  awake,  after  touching  the 
fire  wire  and  being  put  to  sleep  by  Ram?  * 


DHULEEP    MINGH'S    BAD    DREAM      79 

The  old  man  started  as  a  sudden  light  burst  upon 
him;  then  he  bowed  his  head  and  seemed  lost  in 
thought.  After  some  minutes  he  looked  up. 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  does  not  understand,"  he  said. 
"  He  would  have  the  Sahib  teach  him  more.  Can  an 
old  man  learn  these  things  ?  " 

Paul  took  his  Bible  from  his  desk,  and  turning  to 
the  book  of  Jeremiah,  read: 

"  After  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my 
law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts ; 
and  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people. 
And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his  neigh- 
bor, and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the 
Lord:  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least 
of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord !  " 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  is  one  of  the  least  of  them," 
said  the  old  man  as  Paul  closed  his  Bible,  "  but  he 
would  learn." 

The  heartfelt  desire,  so  simply  made  known,  met 
with  an  immediate  response,  and  for  more  than  an 
hour  Paul  sat  teaching  the  hungry  seeker  the  plain 
truths  of  Christianity.  Although  Paul  was  a  busy 
man  and  much  work  needed  his  attention  that  night, 
he  laid  it  temporarily  aside  while  he  poured  into  that 
thirsty  heart  the  water  of  life;  while  he  told  Dhu- 
leep Mingh  of  that  God  who  is  all  Life,  Truth  and 
Love;  while  he  explained  to  him  that  divine  Prin- 
ciple, who  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead  but  of  the  liv- 
ing; while  he  still  further  demonstrated  that  one 
Mind  which  is  over  all,  in  all,  is  all  —  even  that 
"  mind  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus."  Paul 
counted  not  the  cost  of  his  time  or  labor,  and,  al- 


80         PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

though  he  had  not  reflected  upon  it,  the  result  was 
far  reaching. 

When  Dhuleep  Mingh  left  Paul's  office  that  night, 
it  was  with  a  complete  confidence  in  Paul,  if  not  in 
Paul's  God.  As  his  understanding  increased,  his 
faith  increased,  and  during  the  succeeding  days, 
he  used  all  his  influence  to  avert  the  threatened 
trouble,  and  to  create  confidence  in  the  new  methods. 
Every  night  found  him  in  Paul's  office,  and  every 
day  found  him  putting  into  practical  use  the  truths 
he  had  learned.  Each  day  the  seeming  differences 
between  the  men  and  their  employers  became  less  of 
a  reality,  until,  by  the  time  the  inspecting  party 
came,  the  very  best  of  feeling  prevailed. 

Paul  had  been  expecting  the  visitors  for  several 
days  before  they  finally  made  their  appearance.  He 
had  instructed  the  watchman  at  the  landing  to  tele- 
phone him  as  soon  as  they  came  in  sight.  Upon 
receipt  of  the  message  he  hastened  to  the  landing  in 
the  electric  tram  car,  and  was  on  the  dock  to  greet 
them  as  they  stepped  ashore. 

"  He  is  even  handsomer  than  I  thought,"  was 
Sofia's  mental  comment  as  he  handed  her  out,  and 
was  introduced  to  those  members  of  the  party  whom 
he  had  not  yet  met.  Of  Elizabeth,  who  sat  beside 
her  as  they  were  being  whirled  along  up  to  camp, 
she  asked :  "  Mr.  Anthony  is  a  countryman  of  yours, 
is  he  not?" 

'  Yes,  and  a  typical  American,  he  seems  to  me." 

"  His  self-reliant  smile  and  quiet  energy  are  simply 
infectious,"  continued  Sofia.  "  Even  my  father, 


DHULEEP    MINGH'S    BAD    DREAM     81 

who  rarely  shows  interest  in  anything,  seems  about 
to  wake  up." 

"  He  is  certainly  a  most  courteous  gentleman," 
was  Elizabeth's  response. 

Later,  seated  next  to  Paul  at  the  table,  Sofia  could 
not  help  remarking,  although  she  felt  it  rather  pre- 
suming on  short  acquaintance: 

"  You  seem  greatly  pleased  about  something,  Mr. 
Anthony." 

"  I  am,"  was  his  smiling  rejoinder.  "  I  am  pleased 
at  receiving  this  visit;  I  am  pleased  at  meeting  my 
countrymen  and  women.  I  am  pleased  at  again 
seeing  you  and  your  charming  brother." 

"  It  is  not  that,"  she  said,  with  a  shake  of  her 
head.  "  If  I  may  be  allowed  to  put  my  thoughts 
into  words,  I  should  say  you  have  the  air  of  a  per- 
son with  a  great  secret,  —  of  one  who  has  found 
something  or  has  made  a  discovery  which  gives  him 
great  satisfaction." 

"  I  have,"  he  replied,  and  his  smile  was  even  more 
mystifying.  "  I  have  found  a  pearl  of  great  price." 


CHAPTER    VI 

AMONG    THE    DERRICKS 

THE  morning  after  the  arrival  at  Yenangyaung, 
Elizabeth  was  up  at  daylight.  Three  days*  confine- 
ment on  the  little  river  craft  had  made  her  hungry 
for  exercise,  and  with  the  American  girl's  spirit  of 
independence  she  left  her  tent  before  the  other  ladies 
in  the  party  were  astir,  and  started  out  for  a  brisk 
walk  across  the  fields.  A  wide  detour  brought  her 
back  to  the  works  by  way  of  the  hill  upon  which  the 
office  was  located.  As  she  approached  the  open  door 
she  discovered  Paul  seated  at  his  desk  reading.  He 
raised  his  eyes  as  she  passed,  and  catching  sight  of 
her,  came  to  the  door,  hat  in  hand. 

"  Good  morning,  Miss  Raymond,"  he  called,  "  you 
are  out  early." 

She  gave  him  a  bright  smile. 

"  It  does  seem  rather  early,  doesn't  it?  But  early 
rising  is  a  failing  of  mine." 

"  I  should  rather  call  it  a  virtue.  You  appear  to 
have  stolen  a  march  on  the  rest  of  the  party,  and 
made  your  tour  of  inspection  alone." 

"  I  have  certainly  made  a  tour,  but  I  am  afraid  I 
have  not  inspected  very  carefully,  Mr.  Anthony.  I 
have  been  enjoying  the  natural,  rather  than  the  arti- 
ficial. Surely  it  is  a  beautiful  country." 

82 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  83 

"  Indeed  it  is,"  said  Paul ;  "  but  will  you  not  come 
in  and  rest  for  a  few  minutes  ?  I  think  the  others  are 
hardly  astir  yet." 

"  If  it  will  not  interfere  with  your  work."  She 
stepped  inside  the  office  door.  "  You  also  are  up 
early." 

"  And  so  have  just  completed  the  work  I  had  in 
hand,"  said  Paul.  "  I  rise  early  for  an  especial  pur- 
pose." He  looked  at  her  closely.  "  Pardon  me ;  but 
it  certainly  does  one  good  to  see  an  American  face 
in  this  far-away  land.  Here,  let  me  place  a  chair  in 
the  door,  where  you  can  see  the  field  awaken  to  life." 

As  he  crossed  the  room  to  get  the  chair,  Elizabeth 
gave  way  to  her  curiosity  sufficiently  to  glance  over 
to  his  desk  to  see  what  he  had  been  reading.  She  was 
pleased,  as  well  as  considerably  surprised,  to  notice 
that  of  the  two  well-worn  little  books  lying  side  by 
side,  one  was  a  Bible.  From  where  she  stood  she  did 
not  recognize  the  other,  but  its  appearance  indicated 
that  it  was  being  used  in  connection  with  the  Bible. 
As  he  turned,  he  caught  her  glance,  and,  with  a  smik 
which  recalled  to  her  mind  the  words  of  Sofia  the 
night  before,  remarked : 

"  I  trust  you  approve  my  selection  of  reading  mat- 
ter ;  but  of  course  you  do." 

"  Indeed  I  do,"  said  Elizabeth  with  fervor,  "  but 
the  sight  of  the  Bible  came  as  a  sort  of  rebuke  to  me 
that  I  had  not  indulged  in  the  same  occupation  before 
I  started  on  my  walk.  Still,"  she  continued  after  a 
pause,  "  I  feel  that  in  my  walk  I  have  been  honoring 
God  by  enjoying  the  wonderful  work  of  His  hands." 

"  I   think   you    are   quite    right,"    replied    Paul. 


84          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Whatever  we  do,  we  can  do  to  the  glory  of  God. 
But  out  here,  where  there  is  never  a  thought  of  God 
among  the  entire  people,  I  find  I  have  the  greatest 
difficulty  in  keeping  my  thought  clear.  I  have  come, 
therefore,  to  make  the  study  of  the  Bible  even  a  more 
important  feature  of  my  day's  work  than  ever  be- 
fore." 

"  It  certainly  is  a  benighted  land,"  was  Elizabeth's 
reply,  "  and  there  is  a  great  work  to  be  done.  Each 
day  I  recognize  it  more  and  more,  and  have  been 
praying  for  laborers  to  gather  the  harvest,  now  so 
plenteous.  The  finding  of  even  one  earnest  Christian 
man  in  a  place  like  this  —  such  a  Christian  I  feel  cer- 
tain you  must  be,  Mr.  Anthony  —  seems  like  an  an- 
swer to  my  prayer,  though  perhaps  small." 

"  No  answer  to  prayer  is  small,"  declared  Paul ; 
"  for  all  of  God's  works  are  great." 

Elizabeth's  face  flushed  as  she  said  meekly :  "  I 
was  wrong,  but  I  had  been  thinking  of  so  much  larger 
work." 

Paul  smiled,  and  again  Elizabeth  felt  that  she  had 
been  guilty  of  a  very  human  criticism. 

"  I  suppose  you  would  consider  one  work  of  God 
quite  as  great  as  another.  I  wish  I  could  see  things 
as  you  seem  to." 

"  It  is  an  understanding  that  every  one  may  ac- 
quire, Miss  Raymond.  It  comes  through  prayer,  and 
every  answer  to  prayer  strengthens  our  faith." 

"  That,  I  suppose,  is  why  no  answer  to  prayer 
should  be  considered  small  ?  " 

"  Exactly,"  replied  Paul.     "  If  we  pray  without 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  85 

ceasing,  we  shall  come  at  last  to  know  and  understand 
God." 

"  But,  Mr.  Anthony,  that  seems  like  such  an  im- 
possible task  —  to  pray  without  ceasing.  Why,  we 
should  have  no  time  to  teach  or  preach." 

Paul  hesitated  a  moment  before  he  replied :  "  I 
have  been  taught  that  '  prayer  is  the  heart's  sincere 
desire.'  Now  with  you  I  am  sure  the  desire  to  know 
and  to  do  good  is  ever  present,  no  matter  whether  you 
teach  or  preach,  as  you  put  it.  This  constant  desire, 
and  the  effort  it  calls  forth,  seems  to  me  to  be  un- 
ceasing prayer." 

"  I  had  never  thought  of  it  in  that  light  before," 
said  Elizabeth  slowly,  and  she  became  absorbed  with 
her  thoughts. 

"  It  is  not  original  with  me ;  I  shall  be  glad  to 
tell  you  where  you  can  learn  more  —  " 

Paul's  explanation  was  interrupted  by  the  arrival 
of  Dhuleep  Mingh,  who  approached  hat  in  hand. 
Evidently  he  had  something  important  on  his  mind, 
and  Paul  stopped  abruptly  to  hear  what  he  had  to 
say.  Elizabeth's  presence  seemed  to  embarrass  him, 
and  he  hesitated,  until  Paul  said: 

"What  is  it,  Dhuleep  Mingh?  Do  not  be  afraid 
to  speak.  The  foreign  lady  is  a  friend  of  ours." 

"  Sahib,"  said  the  old  man  slowly  and  with  great 
emphasis,  "  Dhuleep  Mingh  must  be  sick !  " 

"  Sick !  "  exclaimed  Paul  in  surprise.  "  You  look 
all  right  to  me.  What  do  you  think  is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Sahib,  for  two  days  Dhuleep  Mingh  has  forgot- 
ten to  smoke  his  cheroot  or  chew  his  betel ! " 

Paul  smiled  broadly  as  he  asked : 


86          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

*'  Well,  do  you  not  think  you  feel  better?  " 

"  But,  Sahib,  I  have  smoked  and  chewed  betel  for 
fifty  years,  and  now  not  to  want  it !  There  must  be 
something  wrong." 

"  Does  Dhuleep  Mingh  remember  the  dream  Ram 
sent  him?  " 

"  No,  Sahib,  it  is  forgotten." 

"  Now  listen,  Dhuleep  Mingh,"  said  Paul  impress- 
ively. "  The  desire  to  smoke  and  chew  the  betel  is 
just  as  much  a  dream  as  the  other." 

Dhuleep  Mingh  looked  incredulous. 

"  Do  you  believe  that  man  is  made  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God  ?  "  asked  Paul. 

"  Yes,  Sahib." 

"  Do  you  think  God  has  a  desire  to  smoke  or  chew 
betel?" 

"  No,  Sahib." 

"  Then  how  can  man  have  the  desire?  " 

The  old  man  scratched  his  head. 

"  Have  no  fear,  Dhuleep  Mingh.  Rather  be  thank- 
ful that  the  true  man  is  beginning  to  appear  in  you." 

As  the  man  made  a  deep  obeisance  and  withdrew, 
Elizabeth  turned  to  Paul  for  an  explanation.  Dur- 
ing the  conversation  she  had  listened  intently,  and 
as  Paul  caught  her  wondering  look  he  understood 
exactly  what  was  passing  through  her  mind. 

"  I  have  been  doing  a  little  missionary  work,  too," 
he  explained.  "  Dhuleep  Mingh  is  just  beginning  to 
know  the  Christ  —  Truth,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world." 

"  And  do  you  really  think  that  this  knowledge  has 
caused  him  to  forget  his  habits  of  fifty  years  ?  " 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  87 

Paul  replied  with  a  question :  "  Have  you  not 
known  many  cases  where  men  have  been  redeemed 
from  drunkenness  by  the  power  of  the  Word  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  I  have,"  was  the  reply ;  "  but  it  was  only 
after  sincere  repentance,  in  which  they  came  to  the 
foot  of  the  cross  and  confessed  their  sins." 

"  Repentance  is  but  the  first  step,"  declared  Paul. 
"  Reformation  is  the  important  step  —  the  re-form- 
ing of  the  old  man  by  the  '  renewal  in  the  spirit  of 
your  mind,'  as  Paul  wrote  to  the  Ephesians." 

"  But  has  he  been  converted?  "  asked  Elizabeth. 

"  Can  you  doubt  it,  Miss  Raymond?  Was  there 
ever  a  more  complete  conversion  of  a  man's  thought 
than  this,  that  he  should  absolutely  lose  consciousness 
of  a  habit  which  has  been  a  part  of  him  for  half  a 
century  ?  " 

"  Ah,  but  that  is  not  the  answer,"  said  Elizabeth, 
and  her  manner  indicated  the  importance  she  placed 
upon  this  particular  point.  "  Has  he  been  converted 
and  confessed  Christ  Jesus  as  his  saviour,  —  has  he 
acknowledged  the  vicarious  atonement  by  which  he 
has  been  redeemed  ?  " 

Paul  looked  at  her  earnestly  for  several  minutes 
and  again  replied  with  a  question: 

"  Is  there  a  royal  road  to  salvation?  Of  what  does 
conversion  consist,  Miss  Raymond?  Is  it  not  simply 
a  turning  away  from  evil  to  good  —  God  ?  Certainly 
Dhuleep  Mingh  is  turning  —  is  being  born  again. 
His  entire  thought,  his  every  sense,  is  becoming  more 
spiritual,  and  who  shall  say  how  that  change  shall 
come?  Jesus  said:  *  the  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not 
with  observation:  neither  shall  they  say,  Lo  here! 


88          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

or,  lo  there!  for,  behold,  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
within  you.'  Dhuleep  Mingh  is  beginning  to  find  this 
kingdom." 

"  But  how?  "   she  asked. 

Again  Paul  quoted  from  the  apostle :  "  *  For  it  is 
God  that  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of 
His  good  pleasure.'  When  we  begin  to  know  the 
truth,  we  begin  to  lose  our  belief  in  the  untruth. 
And  the  truth  is,  that  man  is  made  in  the  image  and 
likeness  of  God." 

Elizabeth  shook  her  head  as  she  replied: 

"  I  must  be  very  dull,  but  I  do  not  seem  to  under- 
stand. You  would  have  me  believe  that  this  man 
has  been  freed  from  a  life-long  habit,  through  a 
simple  knowledge  that  man  is  made  in  the  image  and 
likeness  of  God.  Why,  everybody  who  believes  the 
Bible  at  all,  believes  this,  but  this  knowledge  has  not 
proved  a  saving  power." 

Paul  smiled  in  that  quizzical  manner  which  Eliz- 
abeth had  already  come  to  recognize  as  the  precursor 
of  a  question. 

"  May  that  not  be  because  we  have  had  a  wrong 
impression  of  God,  Miss  Raymond?  May  that  not 
be  because  we  have  not  understood  the  nature  of  that 
God,  in  whose  image  we  are  made  ?  " 

"  Possibly,"  she  replied,  her  mind  so  absorbed  with 
her  own  line  of  argument  that  she  did  not  grasp  the 
fuller  import  of  his  question.  "  But  this  man  has 
not  chosen  the  one  only  road  to  salvation.  He  has 
not  confessed  Christ  and  him  crucified." 

Recognizing  the  course  of  her  thought,  Paul  re- 
plied :  "  Not,  perhaps,  as  you  understand  it,  but 


AMONG   THE    DERRICKS  89 

nevertheless  he  is  confessing  Christ,  in  his  constant 
desire  to  know  the  truth,  —  to  realize  what  is  really 
meant  by  being  made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God,  Spirit.  In  proportion  as  he  has  realized  this, 
his  thoughts  have  changed,  and  he  has  acquired  more 
of  '  that  mind  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus.'  In- 
stead of  finding  his  enjoyment  in  tobacco  and  betel 
nuts,  he  is  finding  his  chief  pleasure  in  striving  to 
know  what  that  God  —  that  Infinite  Being  —  is,  in 
whose  image  and  likeness  man  is  made.  '  Nearer,  my 
God,  to  thee,'  is  the  burden  of  his  desire.  Nearer  to 
God  means  simply  a  clearer  apprehension  of  divine 
Truth  which  destrovs  all  error.  In  short,  nearer  to 
God  is  nearer  to  good." 

Elizabeth's  attitude  was  becoming  more  eager.  A 
great  truth  was  making  itself  felt. 

"  I  think  I  begin  to  understand,"  she  said  slowly. 
*'  You  mean  that  in  proportion  as  we  think  good 
thoughts,  we  forget  evil  thoughts.  You  call  the  good 
thoughts  truth,  and  the  bad  thoughts  you  call  error." 

"  Exactly  !  "  exclaimed  Paul.  "  And  now  let  me 
illustrate  how  it  works.  Up  to  the  time  you  met  me, 
you  had  believed  that  there  was  not  a  Christian  in 
Yenangyaung.  You  also  believed  that  there  was  not 
a  Bible  within  many  miles  of  here.  Unknowingly, 
therefore,  you  were  believing  an  untruth,  —  an  er- 
ror." 

"  Yes,"  she  laughed,  "  because  I  believed  it  was  a 
fact." 

"  Now  then,"  continued  Paul,  "  let  us  see  what  has 
happened.  Your  coming  here  did  not  in  the  least 
change  the  facts  about  me  or  my  Bible.  Nevertheless 


90          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

your  thought  —  your  belief  —  is  changed.  You  now 
know  that  there  is  a  Christian,  and  a  Bible,  in  Ye- 
nangyaung.  You  have  learned  the  truth,  and  your 
false  belief,  trie  untruth,  has  disappeared.  But  did 
you,  after  learning  the  truth,  have  to  do  some  act  to 
destroy  the  untruth?  Not  at  all.  The  truth  worked 
automatically,  as  it  were.  You  learned  the  truth,  and 
with  the  acquiring  of  this  knowledge,  the  untruth, 
the  error,  —  which  in  reality  never  had  any  exist- 
ence, because  I  and  the  Bible  were  here,  —  vanished, 
that  is,  passed  out  of  your  consciousness. 

"  It  is  the  same  with  Dhuleep  Mingh.  He  had  a 
false  belief  that  there  was  happiness  in  smoking  and 
in  chewing  betel.  When  he  came  to  realize  the  truth 
about  man  and  his  relation  to  God,  —  to  realize 
that  he  is  the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  Spirit,  who 
has  no  pleasure  in  anything  unlike  Himself,  —  he  lost 
the  false  belief.  Do  you  understand  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  do,  but  I  shall  have  to  ponder  over  it," 
replied  Elizabeth. 

She  arose  from  her  chair.  "  I  must  be  going.  I 
have  been  here  an  unconscionable  time.  They  will 
wonder  what  has  become  of  me.  I  trust  I  shall  get 
an  opportunity  to  talk  with  you  further  before  I 
leave." 

She  extended  her  hand  as  she  passed  out. 

**  I  have  enjoyed  your  little  sermon  so  much,  Mr. 
Anthony,  and  I  feel  that  you  are  doing  a  great  work 
in  your  own  way." 

Paul  gave  her  hand  a  hearty  grasp. 

"  I  believe,  Miss  Raymond,  that  every  Christian 
should  follow  the  Master's  command  to  preach  the 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  91 

gospel  and  heal  the  sick.  We  can  all  find  some  time. 
In  that  way  we  shall  all  be  missionaries,  and,"  he 
added  with  a  laugh,  "  the  cost  of  maintaining  the 
mission  will  be  small." 

"  I  wonder  what  he  means  by  healing  the  sick  ?  " 
was  her  mental  comment.  "  Is  he  thinking  of  spirit- 
ual or  physical  ailments?" 

When  Elizabeth  returned  to  the  tent  she  found 
Sofia  and  Mrs.  Johnson  just  finishing  their  toilets. 
The  former  had  apparently  not  enjoyed  a  very  good 
rest,  and  her  appearance  was  strictly  in  accord  with 
the  facts,  for  Sofia  had  passed  a  restless  night.  Ac- 
customed as  she  was  to  the  extravagant  and  flowery 
language  of  the  Orient,  she  would  ordinarily  have 
taken  the  statement  of  any  of  her  male  acquaintances 
that  he  had  found  "  a  pearl  of  great  price,"  to  mean 
nothing  more  than  a  phrase ;  but  the  manner  in 
which  Paul  answered  her  question  the  previous  night, 
and  the  very  obvious  fact  that  he  did  seem  to  have 
found  the  mystic  talisman  of  happiness,  sent  the  girl 
to  her  couch  with  a  sense  of  wonderment  as  to  his 
real  meaning.  How  was  she  to  know  that  the  reali- 
zation of  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven  "  as  "  within  you  " 
was  "  the  pearl  of  great  price "  to  which  he  had 
alluded  ? 

To  Sofia,  therefore,  the  wish  was  father  to  the 
thought,  that  Paul  might  have  intended  to  refer  to 
herself,  as  a  treasure  found  and  to  be  won.  After 
hours  of  restlessness  on  her  pillow  she  finally  drifted 
off  to  sleep,  to  dream  that  she  was  an  alchemist  en- 
gaged in  the  very  Burmese  occupation  of  searching 
Cor  the  philosopher's  stone,  —  a  search  which  a  few 


92          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

years  previous  had  resulted  in  a  fire  which  nearly 
destroyed  the  city  of  Rangoon,  instead  of  turning 
everything  into  gold,  as  the  chemist,  who  caused  the 
trouble,  had  expected.  Try  as  she  would,  the  secret 
always  evaded  her,  and  she  awoke  in  the  morning 
with  a  feeling  of  disappointment  and  unrest. 

Outside  of  the  pleasure  she  had  anticipated  in 
seeing  Paul,  the  visit  to  the  oil  fields  had  suggested 
nothing  of  interest  to  Sofia.  She  had  looked  forward 
to  the  days  they  were  to  spend  here  as  uninteresting 
and  uneventful.  It  had  been  the  same  with  the  mission- 
aries, and  their  anxiety  to  reach  Annakan  caused 
every  day's  delay  to  seem  so  much  time  wasted;  but 
Paul  had  arranged  several  features  out  of  the  ordi- 
nary, at  least  to  those  who  do  not  spend  their  days 
where  oil  and  natural  gas  abound.  After  a  busy  day 
in  driving  and  walking  about  the  field,  and  inspecting 
the  progress  of  the  various  works,  the  party  was 
seated  that  night  in  chairs  grouped  about  the  dining 
tent,  when  suddenly  a  rocket  pierced  the  darkness. 

"  A-me !   Look !  "    exclaimed  Oo  Toung-lay. 

All  eyes  were  turned  towards  the  field,  where,  a 
moment  later,  two  score  more  rockets  clove  the  sky, 
and,  as  if  by  magic,  two  score  giant  torches  illumined 
the  heavens.  The  gas  had  been  turned  on  in  the 
great  stand  pipes,  which  in  themselves  carried  the 
flow  from  thirty-five  to  forty  feet  into  the  air,  and  the 
gas,  shooting  up  to  almost  an  equal  height  above  the 
pipes,  had  been  ignited  by  the  rockets.  It  was  a 
weirdly  beautiful  sight,  and  the  spectators  burst  into 
exclamations  of  wonderment  and  admiration.  The 
night  was  intensely  dark,  and  the  great  shafts  of 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  93 

flame  streaming  aloft  over  the  forest  of  derricks  filled 
the  plain  with  an  uncertain  light,  and  cast  great 
sprawling  shadows,  which  gave  the  field  the  appear- 
ance of  a  bivouac  of  giants.  It  was  a  sight  never 
to  be  forgotten ;  and  when  the  gas  was  turned  off, 
an  hour  later,  every  member  of  the  party  felt  that 
this  scene  alone  was  well  worth  the  visit. 

After  witnessing  this  display  the  party  was  pre- 
pared for  any  kind  of  a  surprise.  When  Paul  an- 
nounced the  following  morning,  therefore,  that  he  was 
going  to  shoot  a  well,  and  promised  them  another 
novel  sight,  provided  the  well  proved  a  producer,  all 
were  anxious  to  see  it,  although  it  necessitated  sev- 
eral miles  ride  in  very  primitive  conveyances,  as  there 
were  not  horses  enough  for  all. 

As  chief  demonstrator  of  the  improvements,  Paul 
rode  ahead  with  Oo  Toung-lay  and  Mr.  Whiteset. 
Prince  Sindhu,  Mr.  Lombard  and  Elder  Meredith 
followed  on  the  other  horses.  The  ladies,  in  charge 
of  the  Reverend  Johnson,  rode  in  a  wagon  composed 
of  a  couple  of  carts,  which  Biggs  had  joined  together 
to  haul  gas  pipe. 

"  Our  new  manager  is  a  veritable  wizard,"  said 
Mr.  Lombard  as  they  rode  along.  "  He  has  done 
more  to  develop  the  oil  fields  in  two  months,  than  has 
been  accomplished  previously  in  any  two  years.  Are 
you  Americans  all  like  him,  Elder  Meredith  ?  " 

"  We  have  some  hustling  young  business  men  in 
America,"  replied  Elder  Meredith ;  "  but  I  should 


94          PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Lombard.      "  He   comes   high,   but  we  will   get   our 
money  out  of  him." 

"  I  think  every  American  expects  to  give  value  re- 
ceived for  the  wages  paid  him." 

"  Even  the  missionaries,"  laughed  Mr.  Lombard. 

"  Americans  all  seem  to  be  missionaries  more  or 
less,"  said  Prince  Sindhu.  "  I  hear  that  Mr.  An- 
thony has  made  quite  an  impression  with  our  English 
employes,  while  the  natives  declare  he  must  be  a  great 
pohn-gyee  in  his  own  country.  The  Burmese,  you 
see,  are  quick  to  note  the  difference  between  the  rough 
laborers  and  the  man  of  culture." 

"  Such  a  report  about  a  fellow  countryman  is  most 
pleasing,"  said  Elder  Meredith.  "  I  know  too  well 
the  rough  character  of  the  majority  of  the  men 
brought  up  in  this  pioneer  work.  I  must  become 
better  acquainted  with  him." 

"  You  will  find  him  a  man  of  great  force  of  char- 
acter," replied  Sindhu.  "  He  seems,  likewise,  to  have 
wonderful  mental  training.  I  heard  one  of  the  work- 
men telling  how  he  raised,  almost  from  the  dead,  an 
old  man  who  had  received  an  electric  shock,  —  I  sup- 
pose by  the  same  mental  process,  although  the  old  man 
says  he  simply  prayed  to  his  God.  Of  course,  rever- 
end sir,  even  you  do  not  believe  that !  " 

"  Such  a  thing  is  possible,"  said  the  clergyman ; 
"  but  1  think  the  days  of  miracles  are  past." 

"  God  always  answered  the  prayers  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  when  they  kept  his  commandments ! " 
exclaimed  Mr.  Lombard.  "  Why  shouldn't  he  answer 
prayers  now  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  you  and  I  had  better  not  get  into 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  95 

a  theological  discussion  to-day,  Mr.  Lombard,"  said 
Elder  Meredith.  "  You  know  where  we  usually  land." 

"  Because  you  do  not  believe  the  Scriptures,"  said 
Mr.  Lombard. 

"  You  mean  because  you  do  not  believe  the  Bible," 
replied  Elder  Meredith. 

"  No,  just  because  I  will  not  believe  your  great 
prophet  was  the  son  of  God,"  declared  Mr.  Lombard. 

Prince  Sindhu  laughed  aloud.  "  Pardon  me,"  he 
said,  "  but  now,  gentlemen,  you  can  see  why  I  prefer 
a  religion  with  no  God.  It  certainly  is  better  than 
a  religion  concerning  whose  God  no  two  of  you  agree. 
Let  us  talk  about  oil.  It  is  more  profitable." 

He  put  spurs  to  his  horse  and  galloped  on  to  over- 
take the  others,  and  his  companions  followed. 

Paul  and  his  doings  were  also  the  subject  of  con- 
versation in  the  wagon ;  to  such  an  extent  did  his 
personality  impress  itself  upon  those  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact. 

"  Are  all  Americans  like  Mr.  Anthony  ?  "  asked 
Sofia. 

Recalling  her  experience  of  the  previous  morning, 
Elizabeth  replied: 

"  Hardly,  I  think.  As  I  told  you  on  the  car  the 
other  evening,  he  seems  to  me  to  be  the  highest  type 
of  American  manhood." 

"  The  great  majority  are  active  and  energetic,  if 
that  is  what  you  mean,"  ventured  Mrs.  Johnson  in  her 
quiet  and  semi-apologetic  manner.  "  They  are  the 
grandest  men  in  the  world." 

She  glanced  up  at  her  stalwart  young  husband, 
and  her  eyes  shone  with  pride.  Elizabeth  caught  the 


96  PAUL   ANTHONY,   CHRISTIAN 

glance  and  a  thought  of  what  might  have  been  passed 
through  her  mind.  But  her  sad  romance  now 
seemed  almost  a  dream. 

"  Most  women,"  said  Sofia,  "  seem  to  think  the  men 
of  their  own  country  the  grandest  they  know.  The 
English  ladies  think  that  there  are  no  men  like  their 
husbands,  and  I  am  sure  that  there  could  be  no  better 
or  handsomer  man  than  my  brother,  Sindhu." 

"  I  think  the  princess  has  scored  a  point,"  said  Mr. 
Johnson,  who  was  beginning  to  feel  a  little  embar- 
rassed, under  the  close  scrutiny  to  which  he  was  being 
subjected;  "and  I  quite  agree  with  her  about  her 
brother.  We  are  most  fortunate  in  his  acquaintance." 

"  Every  one  likes  my  brother,"  said  Sofia.  "  His 
subjects  fairly  worship  him.  I  could  only  wish  that 
he  were  a  better  Buddhist.  He  is  the  only  one  of 
our  family  who  has  not  built  a  pagoda  to  Gaudama, 
but  he  has  promised  that  he  will." 

The  others  exchanged  quick  glances  which  indi- 
cated disapproval.  Quick  as  it  was,  it  did  not  escape 
Sofia  and  she  broke  into  a  merry  little  laugh. 

"  Oh,  I  know  you  think  us  heathen,"  she  said,  "  but 
that  does  not  disturb  me.  I  may  have  an  idea  of 
doing  a  little  missionary  work  among  you,  after  I 
get  you  located.  You  will  find  that  my  brother  is 
quite  as  progressive  as  any  of  the  English  governors. 
Even  now  he  has  in  mind  a  wonderful  plan  for  sup- 
plying Annakan  with  water  from  the  mountains, 
but  he  is  waiting  until  he  can  secure  an  engineer  in 
whom  he  has  perfect  confidence  to  perfect  the  plan." 

A  sudden  thought  came  to  her,  and  she  exclaimed: 

**  I  believe  Mr.  Anthony  is  just  the  man !  " 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  97 

"  That  strikes  me  as  a  real  inspiration,"  declared 
Elizabeth. 

Then,  as  it  occurred  to  her  what  an  assistance 
such  a  man  might  be  in  missionary  work,  she  con- 
tinued :  "  I  hope  your  brother  will  act  upon  your 
inspiration." 

Sofia  shot  a  glance  at  the  speaker  as  if  to  read 
her  thoughts,  and  replied :  "  I  shall  suggest  it  to 
him." 

A  passing  funeral,  with  all  its  elaborate  features, 
changed  the  subject  of  conversation,  which  thereafter 
became  general  in  character ;  but  from  the  moment  of 
the  "  inspiration,"  Sofia  became  her  own  cheerful 
self  and  the  life  of  the  party. 

When  the  ladies  arrived  at  the  oil  well,  Paul  was 
busy  making  arrangements  for  firing  the  shot  and 
was  explaining  to  Oo  Toung-lay  the  process  and 
the  danger  that  had  to  be  guarded  against.  In  a 
general  way,  to  be  sure,  these  facts  were  known  to  the 
members  of  the  company,  but  they  had  never  appre- 
ciated quite  as  fully  as  now  the  work  required  in 
governing  the  output.  They  had  been  accustomed 
for  years  to  the  primitive  methods  of  the  natives,  and 
these  new  ideas  were  a  decided  novelty. 

"  We  are  down  about  sixteen  hundred  feet,"  ex- 
plained Paul,  "  and  we  shall  use  in  the  neighborhood 
of  a  hundred  quarts  of  nitro-glycerme.  We  are  ex- 
pecting great  things,  as  these  near-by  wells  have  all 
been  good  producers.  The  charge  is  ready  to  be 
shot." 

He  then  explained  to  the  ladies  something  of  the 
process,  and  showed  them  the  steel  weight  called  the 


98          PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  go-devil,"  which  is  dropped  down  the  well  and  ex- 
plodes the  nitro-glycerine. 

**  It  comes  about  the  nearest  to  being  what  its 
name  implies,  of  anything  imaginable,"  he  continued. 

"  The  natives  still  believe  that  it  is  the  devil  him- 
self who  starts  the  oil  to  flowing,"  explained  Biggs, 
who  was  inspecting  the  work  to  see  that  everything 
was  in  readiness. 

"  It  is  a  strange  thing,"  said  Elder  Meredith, 
"  how  prone  ignorant  people  are  to  attribute  every- 
thing, which  they  do  not  understand,  to  the  devil, 
whether  the  result  is  good  or  evil." 

"  No  more  strange,"  said  Paul,  with  a  smile,  **  than 
for  intelligent  persons  to  attribute  to  God  the  many 
disasters  and  evils  which  they  do  not  understand." 

Elizabeth  was  an  interested  listener.  "  Then  you 
do  not  believe  that  God  sends  evil  and  disaster  upon 
mank'nd?  "  she  asked. 

"  '  And  God  saw  every  thing  that  he  had  made, 
and,  behold,  it  was  very  good,'  "  quoted  Paul.  "  In 
the  face  of  such  testimony  I  could  not  very  well  be- 
lieve it ;  unless  I  believed  that  God  had  failed  to 
complete  creation,  and  was  now  doing  his  work  over, 
—  and  that  in  a  less  satisfactory  manner.  But  per- 
haps you  and  I  will  get  a  chance  to  talk  this  over 
more  fully,  ere  you  leave." 

"  God  forbid ! "  exclaimed  Elder  Meredith  under 
his  breath.  "  This  is  blasphemous !  " 

Paul  did  not  catch  his  muttered  words,  as  he 
turned  away  to  the  well,  but  Sindhu  and  Sofia  Wth 
overheard,  and  the  former  remarked  aside : 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  99 

"  These  Christians  seem  more  decidedly  at  vari- 
ance over  what  they  believe,  than  you  and  I." 

Sofia  smiled :  "  We  know  why  we  disagree ;  they 
do  not  seem  to.  If  I  were  interested  in  their  discus- 
sions, I  should  hope  for  his  own  sake  that  Mr.  An- 
thony could  give  a  better  reason  for  his  belief  than 
the  others.  I  questioned  Miss  Raymond  about  hers 
coming  up  on  the  boat,  and  she  did  not  seem  to  have 
a  very  clear  idea  of  just  what  her  religion  does 
teach." 

"  All  stand  back !  "  shouted  Biggs.  "  Way  back 
by  the  horses !  We're  going  to  let  her  go !  " 

Every  one  obeyed. 

"  It  certainly  is  a  rather  mysterious  process,"  said 
Prince  Sindhu  to  Paul,  as  they  stopped  at  the  spot 
designated. 

"  Yes,  to  those  who  do  not  understand,"  replied 
Paul.  "  I  have  found  such  to  be  the  case  in  every 
phase  of  life;  while  really  there  is  no  mystery,  even 
in  life  itself,  if  w<  thoroughly  understand." 

Sindhu  looked  at  him  with  considerable  astonish- 
ment. Such  sent  ments,  from  such  a  source,  surprised 
him. 

"  How  about '  leath  ?  "  he  asked  quizzically. 

Paul  was  intently  watching  Biggs,  as  he  prepared 
to  drop  the  "  g-o-devil,"  and  answered  with  scarcely 
a  thought  of  what  he  was  saying : 

"  There  is  no  death." 

Sindhu  turned  in  his  tracks  and  looked  at  Paul 
with  amazement.  There  was  nothing  in  that  gentle- 
man's expression  to  indicate  that  he  had  made  any 
unusual  statement,  and  Sindhu,  thinking  he  must 


100        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

have  misunderstood,  was  about  to  repeat  his  question, 
when  he  was  interrupted  by  the  scene  at  the  well. 
Biggs  had  dropped  the  weight  which  was  to  set 
things  in  motion  sixteen  hundred  feet  below  the  sur- 
face, and  was  hastening  away  from  possible  danger. 

Almost  before  he  reached  the  spot  where  the  others 
had  gathered,  there  began  to  be  a  commotion  at  the 
mouth  of  the  well.  A  hissing  sound  was  heard,  and 
a  current  of  air,  which  sucked  into  it  the  loose  grass 
and  litter  lying  about,  issued  from  the  tubing.  Then 
was  heard  a  louder  sound,  as  of  the  rushing  of  many 
winds,  and  out  of  the  well  came  a  stream  of  dirt, 
rocks,  water  and  other  substances.  These  were  shot 
up  above  the  top  of  the  derrick,  and  the  next  minute 
a  stream  of  oil  spurted  out,  carrying  away  the  der- 
rick cap  and  shooting  more  than  a  hundred  feet  up 
into  the  air. 

"A-me!  A-me!"  ejaculated  the  Burmese  specta- 
tors. 

"  You  certainly  are  a  wizard,"  said  Prince  Sindhu 
to  Paul,  while  Sofia  looked  at  him  as  though  he  were 
some  remarkable  being. 

"  It's  a  gusher !  "  shouted  Biggs.  "  It's  good  for 
five  hundred  barrels  a  day ! " 

He  seized  Paul's  hand  and  shook  it  excitedly.  Mr. 
Whiteset  and  Oo  Toung-lay  followed  his  example, 
and  for  several  minutes  there  was  general  rejoicing. 
Then  came  the  serious  work  of  controlling  the  gusher, 
and  Paul  and  Biggs  hastened  away,  to  be  followed 
at  a  distance  by  the  others,  who  stood  aljout  in 
groups  as  their  inclinations  dictated. 

Elder  Meredith,  in  spite  of  the  excitement,  was  still 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  101 

turning  over  in  his  mind  the  seemingly  incomprehen- 
sible statement  of  Paul  regarding  the  creation ;  while 
Sindhu,  remembering  what  he  had  heard  about  the 
raising  of  Dhuleep  Mingh,  was  wondering  deeply 
what  this  new  philosophy  might  be,  that  caused  Paul 
to  deny  the  reality  of  death.  Their  thoughts  found 
expression  in  their  words.  To  Elizabeth  and  Mrs. 
Johnson,  who  stood  near  him,  Elder  Meredith  said : 

*'  I  had  understood  that  this  Mr.  Anthony  was  a 
Christian.  If  his  words  about  God  and  creation  may 
be  taken  as  an  index  of  his  character  and  belief,  I 
should  say  he  was  an  infidel,  or  at  least  a  heretic." 

"  I  am  sure  he  is  neither,"  said  Elizabeth,  —  "  at 
least  not  as  those  terms  are  commonly  applied.  I 
had  quite  a  talk  with  him  yesterday  morning,  and  he 
impressed  me  as  being  an  earnest  Christian,  although 
with  some  advanced  ideas." 

Elizabeth  here  related  briefly  her  conversation 
^ith  Paul,  and  continued :  "  His  words  about  evil 
seemed  to  answer  a  question  which  has  long  been 
troubling  me,  —  a  question  which  I  was  unable  to 
answer  satisfactorily  to  my  own  mind  when  it  was 
asked  me  the  other  day,  namely :  '  If  God  sends  evil, 
why  should  we  be  punished  for  indulging  in  it;  or 
why  should  it  have  been  necessary  for  Jesus  to  have 
come  to  save  us  from  it  ?  '  " 

"  I  am  surprised  at  your  implied  ignorance  of  the 
Bible,"  said  Elder  Meredith  sternly.  "  It  is  the  plan 
of  salvation  you  question." 

"  Why  should  we  need  to  be  saved  from  something 
which  God  sends  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Johnson  meekly. 


102        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

The  clergyman  looked  from  one  woman  to  the 
other  in  blank  amazement. 

"  I  see  I  shall  have  to  take  time  to  instruct  you 
in  these  things.  It  is  not  a  subject  that  can  be  easily 
explained,  and  this  is  not  the  time  or  place." 

He  walked  away  to  join  Mr.  Johnson,  leaving  the 
ladies  with  a  sense  of  having  committed  an  unpar- 
donable sin. 

"  Well,  I  do  not  care,"  said  Mrs.  Johnson.  "  I 
have  been  thinking  about  these  things  a  lot  lately, 
and  I  hope  he  will  straighten  me  out.  I  am  terribly 
mixed  up." 

To  his  sister  Prince  Sindhu  was  saying :  "  This 
new  manager  of  our  father  seems  quite  a  remark- 
able man.  It  is  not  customary  to  find  one  in  his 
position  who  is  so  much  of  a  philosopher." 

"  To  me,  also,  he  seems  a  man  of  much  honorable 
distinction,"  replied  Sofia.  "  Perhaps  in  his  country 
they  teach  religion  along  with  mathematics." 

"  No,  they  do  not,"  said  Sindhu,  "  and  that  is  why 
I  am  surprised.  They  do  not  even  teach  their  re- 
ligion, or  anything  about  their  God  in  their  schools. 
As  a  result,  although  they  claim  to  believe  in  a  God, 
I  understand  very  few  young  Americans  know  any- 
thing about  Him,  —  except  those  who  are  sent  to  the 
religious  schools,  of  which  each  caste  has  its  own. 
One  of  our  monks  told  me  that,  within  a  few  years, 
the  Americans  will  have  obliterated  God  from  their 
daily  life  as  much  as  do  the  followers  of  the  lord 
Buddha." 

"  Then  who  are  these  missionaries  ?  " 

"  They   are   teachers    sent   out   by    the   religioui 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  103 

schools  and  sects,  who,  finding  it  hard  to  enlarge  their 
following  at  home,  send  the  missionaries  to  recruit 
them  in  foreign  lands,  —  out  among  the  heathen,  as 
they  say." 

"  Yes,  I  have  often  heard  that  remark,"  replied 
Sofia ;  "  but  about  this  Mr.  Anthony :  he  seems  quite 
different  from  any  of  the  foreigners  whom  I  have  met. 
He  also  seems  to  be  very  learned  and  practical.  I 
have  been  thinking  that  perhaps  he  is  the  very  man 
you  have  been  looking  for,  to  help  you  to  perfect 
your  plans  for  supplying  Annakan  with  water." 

She  waited  with  eagerness  her  brother's  answer 
to  the  suggestion.  Evidently  the  idea  impressed  him 
favorably,  for  he  nodded  his  head  slowly  as  she  spoke, 
and  after  a  moment  exclaimed: 

"  I  believe  you  are  right."  Then  to  himself :  "  If 
I  can  once  get  him  in  Annakan,  I  shall  be  able,  per- 
haps, to  learn  what  he  means  by  saying  that,  to  one 
who  understands,  even  life  itself  is  not  a  mystery, 
and  that  there  is  no  death."  Aloud  he  said :  "  I  must 
have  a  talk  with  him." 

Sofia's  heart  gave  an  exultant  throb. 

"  Kis-met !  "  she  exclaimed  under  her  breath  as 
she  turned  away  to  join  the  other  ladies. 

The  work  of  controlling  the  gusher  promised  to 
be  such  a  long  and  uninteresting  proceeding  to  the 
visitors,  that  Paul  suggested  that  they  have  their 
luncheon,  and  return  by  a  circuitous  route  to  camp, 
where  he  would  join  them  later  on.  The  suggestion 
was  promptly  carried  into  effect.  During  the  drive 
back,  Prince  Sindhu  discussed  with  his  father  and 
Mr.  Whitespt  the  possibility  of  borrowing  Paul  for 


104        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

a  month  or  six  weeks.  It  was  decided  that  the  work 
was  so  well  in  hand  that  he  could  easily  be  spared 
if  he  could  be  persuaded  to  make  the  trip. 

"  I  have  found  him  so  obliging  that  I  believe  that 
he  will  be  quite  willing  to  do  anything  to  accommo- 
date," said  Oo  Toung-lay.  "  Why,"  he  continued 
enthusiastically,  "  he  is  even  considerate  enough  of 
the  feelings  of  others  to  be  a  Burman ! " 

This  outburst  on  the  part  of  his  father  —  the 
highest  praise  that  can  be  bestowed  by  a  Burman  — 
caused  a  broad  smile  to  spread  itself  over  the  face 
of  Prince  Sindhu,  and  he  said  to  Elder  Meredith, 
who  was  riding  beside  him: 

"  Your  countryman  seems  to  have  made  himself 
very  popular  with  my  father.  If  you  knew  how  un- 
usual this  was,  you  would  all  feel  complimented." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Elder  Meredith,  "  he  seems  to  be 
a  very  well  posted  man,  but  as  a  religious  teacher, 
I  consider  him  a  dangerous  person.  He  teaches  a 
most  seductive  and  dangerous  sophistry." 

Sindhu  smiled  as  he  replied :  "  I  do  not  appre- 
hend that  either  my  father,  or  I,  have  anything  to 
fear  from  his  sophistry,  as  you  are  pleased  to  call  it." 

"  One  can  never  tell,"  was  the  clergyman's  reply. 
"  I  simply  warn  you  against  him." 

Sindhu  regarded  Elder  Meredith  with  evident  sur- 
prise for  a  moment,  and  then  replied:  "I  feel,  si", 
that  I  am  quite  able  to  do  my  own  thinking,"  and  he 
reined  up  his  horse  to  allow  the  wagon  containing 
the  ladies  to  overtake  him. 

Every  one  had  retired  for  the  night  except  Dhu- 
leep  Mingh  when  Paul  returned  to  the  camp.  The 


AMONG    THE    DERRICKS  105 

old  man  was  the  bearer  of  a  message  from  Prince 
Sindhu,  to  the  effect  that  he  would  ca.il  upon  Paul 
at  his  office  early  the  next  morning. 

"  Is  the  Sahib  too  tired  to  talk?  "  inquired  Dhu- 
leep  Mingh,  after  delivering  the  message. 

"  Not  if  I  can  do  any  one  any  good." 

"  Moung  Utt  Nee  is  sick  with  the  swamp  sick- 
ness," explained  Dhuleep  Mingh.  "  He  would  know 
about  the  Sahib's  God,  who  awoke  old  Dhuleep  Mingh 
from  his  bad  dream,  and  has  made  him  a  new  man." 

"  All  right,"  said  Paul,  "  lead  the  way." 

"  Can  the  Sahib's  God  drive  away  the  swamp  sick- 
ness? "  asked  Dhuleep  Mingh,  as  they  approached 
the  tent  where  the  sick  man  lay. 

Paul  threw  back  the  fly  of  the  tent,  and,  as  he 
paused  before  entering,  replied:  "  Doubt  it  not,  for 
*  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord;  who  forgiveth  all 
thine  iniquities ;  who  healeth  all  thy  diseases.' ' 

Two  hours  later,  when  Paul  left  the  tent  to  retire 
to  his  couch,  after  his  strenuous  day,  Moung  Utt 
Nee  was  in  a  gentle  perspiration,  and  was  sleeping 
peacefully. 

"The  Sahib  must  be  tired!"  exclaimed  Dhuleep 
Mingh,  who  had  been  napping  on  the  bench  in  front. 

"  One  never  tires  of  doing  good,"  was  Paul's  reply. 


CHAPTER    VII 

A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS 

THE  inspection  of  the  oil  field  occupied  the  greater 
part  of  a  week,  during  which  time  Paul  rose  even 
higher  in  the  estimation  of  those  with  whom  he  was 
connected.  At  the  interview  appointed  by  Prince 
Sindhu,  Paul  not  only  expressed  a  perfect  willing- 
ness to  visit  Annakan,  but  declared  that  it  would 
be  an  unexpected  pleasure. 

"  If  there  is  any  one  thing  that  I  do  enjoy,"  he 
said  to  Prince  Sindhu,  after  the  business  part  of  the 
interview  was  over,  "  it  is  picnicking,  and  I  am 
sure  that  the  trip  to  Annakan  will  be  one  long  pic- 
nic." 

"  You  will  hardly  find  it  that,"  was  Sindhu's 
laughing  rejoinder;  "but  I  promise  you  that  it 
will  be  such  an  outing  as  you  have  never  before  en- 
joyed." 

As  the  result  of  this  interview,  Sindhu's  party 
was  enlarged  by  two,  when  it  embarked  on  the  gov- 
ernment steamer  Petrel  for  its  trip  up  the  Chidwin. 
The  extra  member  was  Dhuleep  Mingh,  whom  Paul 
had  engaged  as  a  servant. 

At  this  particular  season  of  the  year,  the  trip  up 
the  Chidwin,  as  far  as  Kindat,  is  an  ever  changing 
panorama  of  life  and  commercial  activity.  Above 

106 


A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS     107 

Kindat,  white  men  rarely  go,  except  as  tourists,  to 
inspect  some  military  post,  or  to  control  the  work 
of  some  native  magistrate.  The  river  runs  through 
a  wilderness,  and  the  vaguely  defined  Burman  fron- 
tier is  still  several  hundred  miles  north.  All  the 
country,  which  lies  between  these  two  points,  is  ruled 
either  by  native  officers  or  feudatory  princes,  or  is 
ruled  not  at  all.  In  spite  of  all  its  drawbacks,  how- 
ever, the  trip  to  the  headwaters  of  steamboat  navi- 
gation was  greatly  enjoyed  by  all  on  board. 

As  they  neared  the  place  where  they  must  leave 
the  river  and  complete  the  journey  by  elephant,  the 
country  became  even  more  rough,  and  the  character 
of  the  people,  whom  they  saw  along  the  banks,  much 
changed.  Here  and  there  parties  of  men  with  blan- 
kets slung  over  their  naked  shoulders,  and  women 
with  scarlet  wrappings  draped  over  their  breasts, 
marched  along  the  bank  and  stopped  to  gaze  at  the 
little  vessel.  Beyond  Wan-Ywa,  the  river  passed 
through  a  narrow  channel,  formed  by  a  cliff  which 
rises  sheer  on  the  east  bank,  and  by  the  low  hills 
on  the  west.  As  the  boat  entered  the  natural  gate- 
way, the  stream,  whose  bed  lies  ten  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea,  could  be  seen  stretching  away  north, 
to  where  in  the  distance  were  discernible  the  first 
faint  blue  outlines  of  the  Himalayas.  It  was  a  won- 
derful picture,  and  Prince  Sindhu,  standing  on  the 
bow  of  the  boat  with  Paul,  Elizabeth  and  Sofia, 
waved  his  hand  toward  the  beautiful  landscape,  ex- 
claiming : 

"Behold  the  frontier  of  Bajipur!" 

"  It  is  the  first  glimpse  of  home !  "  exclaimed  Sofia ; 


108        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

and,  for  the  first  time,  Elizabeth  noted  in  her  bear- 
ing that  hauteur  of  manner  which  indicated  her  royal 
breeding. 

During  the  fortnight  that  they  had  been  together, 
the  members  of  the  party  had  become  thoroughly 
well  acquainted;  for  there  is  nothing  like  travel  tc 
bring  out  the  strong,  as  well  as  the  weak  points, 
in  an  individual's  character.  This  is  particularly 
the  case  in  journey  ings  among  a  primitive  people, 
where  the  conveniences  of  modern  travel,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  the  luxuries,  are  sadly  lacking.  It  is  trying 
enough  on  one's  temper  to  put  up  with  the  delays 
of  railroads,  and  the  too  frequent  poor  accommo- 
dations, but  it  is  infinitely  worse  where  there  are 
no  railroads  or  accommodations  to  put  up  with,  and 
where  each  individual  is  obliged  to  depend  upon  his 
own  resources  for  his  own  particular  comfort.  To 
be  sure,  the  party  was  well  supplied  with  servants,  as 
Prince  Sindhu  travelled  with  an  extensive  retinue,  but 
the  Americans  were  thrown  upon  their  own  efforts, 
with  the  possible  exception  of  Paul,  who  came  as  an 
invited  guest,  or  perhaps  more  correctly  speaking, 
as  a  special  commissioner  for  the  state.  It  is,  there- 
fore, greatly  to  the  credit  of  all,  that  it  can  be  truth- 
fully said,  that  there  was  absolutely  no  friction,  and 
that  each  member  of  the  party  grew  daily  in  the 
good  opinion  of  the  others. 

When  you  see  a  man  displaying,  day  by  day,  an 
unruffled  temper,  although  his  meals  are  frequently 
delayed  away  beyond  the  regular  hour,  and  when, 
morning  after  morning,  a  man  greets  you  with  a 
smiling  face,  although  you  know  that  he  has  spent 


A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS     109 

the  greater  part  of  the  night  jammed  in  the  corner 
of  an  open  boat,  with  a  pile  of  fish  for  a  pillow  and 
a  swarm  of  mosquitoes  as  companions,  you  cannot 
fail  to  have  faith  in  his  amiability.  And  when  you 
see  a  woman,  young  or  old,  maintaining  her  dignity, 
although  drenched  with  rain  and  splashed  with  mud, 
you  feel  that  she  will  always  be  able  to  attract. 

It  is  possible  that  there  may  have  been  some  feel- 
ing of  restraint,  on  the  part  of  Elder  Meredith,  in 
his  conversations  both  with  Paul  and  Prince  Sindhu ; 
but  he  strove  his  best  not  to  harbor  any  unchar- 
itable thoughts,  and,  as  long  as  his  ideas  were  not 
disputed  by  either  of  the  younger  men,  he  made  no 
effort  to  open  a  discussion.  Being  past  middle  age, 
and  having  been  more  than  a  score  of  years  in  mis- 
sionary work,  —  first  in  Turkey,  where  he  lost  his 
estimable  wife,  and  then  in  India,  —  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at,  that  he  should  have  had  a  strong  feel- 
ing against  the  introduction,  into  India,  of  any  un- 
orthodox beliefs.  He  could  well  appreciate  that  any 
division  of  opinion  among  Christians  in  a  foreign 
field  would  not  only  weaken,  but  would  soon  destroy, 
all  the  influence  it  was  hoped  to  acquire  and  the 
results  it  was  desired  to  attain. 

Therefore,  when  Elizabeth  had  related  to  him 
her  conversation  with  Paul,  he  had  advised  her  not 
to  discuss  religious  matters  with  him  any  further; 
and  she,  feeling  that  Elder  Meredith  knew  best,  had 
refrained  from  asking  Paul  many  questions  she  had 
in  mind.  In  fact,  for  very  fear  that  she  might  ven- 
ture on  forbidden  ground,  she  held  herself  almost 
entirely  aloof  from  him. 


110        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

But  she  had  not  been  hampered  by  any  such  in- 
junction regarding  Prince  Sindhu;  and,  as  he  had 
from  the  first  frequently  sought  her  society,  they 
had  been  thrown  much  together.  She  found  him  a 
most  agreeable  companion  as  well  as  a  considerate 
host. 

The  trip  up  the  Chidwin,  from  its  confluence  with 
the  Irrawaddy,  was  the  most  comfortable  part  of 
the  journey.  The  government  boat,  placed  at  the 
disposal  of  Prince  Sindhu,  was  of  modern  construc- 
tion and  supplied  with  many  conveniences.  It  was 
very  pleasant  to  sit  under  an  awning  and  read  or 
converse  as  the  spirit  moved;  and  it  was  quite  re- 
markable how  similarly  the  groups  arranged  them- 
selves from  day  to  day.  Little  Mrs.  Johnson  was 
always  the  magnet  toward  which  her  husband  grav- 
itated, and  Elder  Meredith  was  oftenest  with  them. 
Sofia  found  her  place  most  frequently  in  a  group 
composed  of  her  father,  Paul  and  Mr.  Lombard, 
—  Mr.  Whiteset  having  returned  to  Rangoon.  This 
left  Elizabeth  much  alone,  and  Prince  Sindhu  seemed 
to  consider  it  his  duty  to  see  that  she  was  not 
neglected. 

"  Poor  little  me !  "  said  Sofia  to  her  father  as  she 
found  him  smoking  his  cheroot  alone  on  the  stern 
of  the  boat  one  afternoon.  "  If  it  were  not  for  you, 
I  should  be  quite  neglected." 

"  A-me !  "  exclaimed  Oo  Toung-lay.  "  This  is  the 
first  time  I  ever  heard  that  the  Princess  Sofia  lacked 
for  attention.  Who  has  been  guilty  of  this  neg- 
lect? " 

"  Sindhu,"  she  replied  with  a  moue  that  was  in- 


A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS     111 

tended  to  indicate  disappointment.  "  He  has  always 
heretofore  been  most  attentive  on  our  journeys." 

"WeH!  Well!"  said  her  father.  "I  had  not 
noticed  that  he  was  inattentive.  What  is  the 
trouble  ?  "  and  he  looked  at  her  in  deep  concern. 

She  broke  into  a  merry  laugh  as  she  saw  the 
troubled  look  on  his  face. 

"  Cannot  you  see?    Look  over  there !  " 

He  looked  in  the  direction  indicated,  where  Sindhu 
was  reading  to  Elizabeth  selections  from  Sakoon- 
tala.  Then  he  turned  to  Sofia  with  a  twinkle  in  his 
eye. 

"  You  should  be  pleased,  not  aggrieved." 

"  Perhaps  I  am,"  she  replied. 

"  She  is  a  beautiful  young  woman,"  he  added  after 
a  pause. 

"  Very.  I  could  love  her  dearly  if  she  were  my 
sister." 

"  It  would  not  be  the  first  of  our  family  to  wed  a 
foreigner." 

"  I  have  thought  it  all  out,"  said  Sofia,  "  and  I 
think  it  would  be  the  best  thing  Sindhu  could  do. 
It  is  time  he  married." 

"  I  think  I  will  suggest  it  to  him." 

Again  Sofia  laughed  merrily. 

"  It  does  not  look  as  though  it  would  be  necessary. 
It  is  more  important  to  know  what  she  thinks." 

"  A-me !  "  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman.  "  How 
can  you  suggest  such  a  thing?  Do  you  think  she 
could  fail  to  appreciate  the  honor?" 

"  These  Americans  seem  to  have  strange  ideas. 
There  may  be  some  one  else." 


lit        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

She  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

**  I  will  make  it  my  business  to  find  out,"  said  Oo 
Toung-lay. 

As  he  walked  away,  puffing  his  cheroot,  Sofia 
leaned  over  the  rail  and  looked  down  into  the  water, 
slipping  swiftly  away  from  under  the  boat,  as  it 
struggled  against  the  stream.  It  was  here  that  Paul 
found  her,  as  he  came  on  deck  after  an  hour  with 
Dhuleep  Mingh,  to  whom  he  had  been  giving  his 
daily  lessons.  He  leaned  over  the  rail  beside  her, 
and  also  looked  down  at  the  water. 

"  From  this  view-point  we  seem  to  be  making  good 
headway,"  he  said. 

Sofia  started  at  the  sound  of  his  voice,  and  the 
blood  rushed  to  her  cheeks.  So  absorbed  had  she 
been  in  thinking  of  him,  that  it  seemed  as  though 
he  must  have  read  her  thoughts.  She  replied  with- 
out raising  her  head: 

"  So  I  was  thinking.  But  it  is  a  delusion,  is  it 
not?" 

"  Decidedly ;  looking  at  the  stationary  bank,  I 
should  say  we  are  not  making  more  than  four  or 
five  miles  an  hour." 

"  I  find  most  things  in  life  a  delusion,"  continued 
Sofia,  following  out  her  thought ;  "  do  you  ?  " 

"  Decidedly  not ! "  he  declared  with  emphasis. 
"  Life  to  me  is  real.  I  suppose,  however,  that  you 
refer  to  such  life  as  we  recognize  through  the  phys- 
ical senses?  " 

She  partially  raised  her  head  and  looked  at  him 
inquiringly.  "  Why,  yes,  of  course.  I  know  no  other. 
Do  you?" 


A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS     113 

"  I  am  trying  to,"  he  replied.  "  I  mean  the  life 
referred  to  by  the  poet,  when  he  wrote : 

«  « I  know  no  life  divided,  O  Lord  of  life,  from  Thee ; 
In  Thee  is  life  provided  for  all  mankind  and  me.' " 

**  I  do  not  seem  to  understand  that  life,"  she  an- 
swered, and  there  was  a  tinge  of  sadness  in  her  voice. 
"  The  only  life  I  know  is  the  life  I  see  and  feel  all 
around  me ;  the  one  I  recognize,  as  you  say,  through 
the  physical  senses.  Perhaps  that  is  why  you  and  I 
are  so  far  apart?  " 

It  was  Paul's  turn  to  be  mystified,  and  his  looks 
were  indicative  of  it  as  he  turned  his  face  toward 
her. 

"  I  did  not  know  we  were  so  far  apart.  I  have 
felt  that  we  were  getting  quite  well  acquainted." 

She  shook  her  head,  although  her  heart  gave  a 
great  throb. 

"  You  may  be  with  me,  Mr.  Anthony,  because  there 
is  not  so  much  of  me  to  know,  and  you  are  so 
wise  —  " 

"  You  misunderstand  me,"  he  broke  In.  "  I  am 
not  so  wise,  and  I  had  hoped  that  you  were  coming 
to  know  me  quite  as  well  as  I  felt  I  knew  you.  Now 
I  see  that  I  am  not  acquainted  with  you  at  all,  and 
that  you  are  far  wiser  than  I.  Suppose  we  begin 
all  over  again  on  a  different  basis." 

He  smiled  invitingly  and  extended  his  hand.  She 
placed  hers  in  it. 

"  Willingly.  And  now,  if  you  are  to  become  so 
well  acquainted,  you  must  explain  the  poetry  to  me; 


114        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

and  you  must  tell  me  if  you  think  Miss  RaymoneJ, 
being  a  Christian,  would  marry  my  brother,  who  is 
a  Buddhist." 

Paul's  eyes  took  on  an  amused  expression: 

"  You  have  certainly  set  before  me  two  very  dif- 
ficult tasks.  Do  you  put  all  your  friends  to  so  diffi- 
cult a  test?" 

She  laughed  merrily,  every  trace  of  sadness  hav- 
ing disappeared.  "  If  I  think  they  are  equal  to  it," 
she  declared. 

"  Well  then,  Princess,  I  will  answer  the  most  dif- 
ficult one  first.  Being  an  American  girl,  I  imagine 
that  Miss  Raymond  would  be  absolutely  governed 
by  her  own  feelings.  In  America  religious  belief, 
except  in  a  very  few  cases,  is  not  considered  in  the 
matter  of  marriage." 

"  But  this  is  not  America,  you  know,  and  Miss 
Raymond  is  a  missionary." 

"  Yes,  I  know,  but  she  might  even  consider  mat- 
rimony, not  only  proper,  but  an  instrument  to  be 
used  in  bringing  about  a  conversion." 

"  A-me !  What  an  idea !  You  do  not  think  it  pos- 
sible that  she  should  expect  to  convert  Sindhu  from 
the  religion  of  his  fathers  ?  " 

"  She  is  a  young  woman  of  great  expectations,  and 
few,  if  any,  of  us,  believe  as  did  our  fathers.  None 
of  us  think  as  they  did." 

Sofia  appeared  shocked.  "  I  am  sure  I  do,"  she 
exclaimed. 

"  Well,  now  let  us  see,"  said  Paul.  "  You  are  rid- 
ing on  a  steamboat.  Do  you  think  that  your  foreign 
'  great  mother,'  after  whom  you  are  named,  ever 


A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS     115 

thought  steamboats,  or  believed  that  people  would 
be  riding  on  them?  " 

"  Of  course  not ;   but  that  is  not  what  I  mean." 

"  Or  the  telegraph?  "  continued  Paul. 

"  There  was  no  telegraph.  How  could  she  be 
thinking  such  things?  " 

"  The  principle  of  the  telegraph  was  in  existence, 
when  your  '  great  mother  '  was  alive,  and  she  might 
just  as  well  have  used  it  as  you,  if  she,  or  some  one 
else,  had  only  thought  it ;  and  if,  later  on,  there  had 
not  been  a  thought  in  advance  of  those  times,  — 
a  thought  which  revealed  hidden  principles,  —  we 
would  not  have  had  the  telegraph  or  steamboat  even 
now." 

"  But  our  religious  thoughts  —  our  religious  be- 
liefs —  they  are  the  same." 

"  Are  they  ?  "  asked  Paul.  "  I  must  admit  that 
there  has  been  less  advancement  along  this  line 
than  any  other,  but  do  your  munis  teach  you  the 
same  as  they  did  your  ancestors?  You  have  read 
the  sacred  books,  your  brother  tells  me.  When  were 
the  last  five  of  'your  ten  commandments  written? 
They  were  written  long  after  the  first  five,  were  they 
not?  How  long  has  it  been  that  English  mission- 
aries have  even  been  tolerated  in  your  land?  No,  no. 
Princess,  we  do  not  think  or  believe  as  did  our  an- 
cestors." 

Sofia,  convinced  against  her  will,  was  largely  of 
the  same  opinion  still,  so  she  changed  the  subject 
saying : 

"  Suppose  we  drop  my  brother's  affairs.  Now  tell 
me  what  the  poem  means." 


116        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  It  simply  means,"  replied  Paul  gravely,  "  that 
I  try  to  know  no  life  apart  from  God,  infinite  good." 

"  Is  your  God  infinite  good  ?  "  she  asked  in  sur- 
prise. 

"  Absolutely.  The  word  God  means  good,  in  the 
original  Anglo-Saxon." 

Sofia  caught  her  breath.  The  queries  she  had  put 
to  Elizabeth,  but  a  few  days  before,  came  to  her  mind. 
Shfc  would  now  find  out  if  this  Christian  had  any  sat- 
isfactory answer  to  her  most  important  question. 
Speaking  very  slowly,  she  asked : 

"  If  your  God  is  good,  — •  infinite  good,  —  why 
does  He  send  sickness  and  evil  upon  those  who  be- 
lieve in  Him  ?  " 

A  gleam  of  satisfaction  beamed  in  her  eyes,  as  she 
awaited  his  reply.  The  question  had  always  proved 
such  a  poser  for  others,  of  whom  she  had  asked  it, 
that  she  had  come  to  think  it  unanswerable.  An 
amused  look  again  came  into  Paul's  eyes,  and  the 
corners  of  his  mouth  twitched.  Sofia  took  his  hesi- 
tation to  mean  difficulty  or  inability  to  answer,  and 
she  asked  again: 

"  If  he  is  infinite  good,  why  does  God  send  sick- 
ness ?  " 

"  He  does  not.    Sickness  and  evil  are  not  of  God." 

His  answer  was  so  unexpected  that  Sofia  could 
only  look  at  him  and  wonder. 

"  It  is  impossible,"  continued  '  Paul,  "  that  God 
should  make  anything  so  unlike  Himself." 

"  Do  you,  and  Miss  Raymond,  and  the  English 
ladies,  all  have  the  same  God  ?  "  inquired  Sofia,  think- 
ing there  must  be  some  mistake. 


A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS     117 

"  *  The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord,'  and  the  Bible 
tells  us  that  '  God  saw  every  thing  that  He  had 
made,  and  behold  it  was  very  good.'  ' 

"  Do  you  and  Miss  Raymond  have  the  same  Bible, 
too?  " 

"  Just  the  same." 

"  I  have  asked  these  questions  of  many  Christians, 
Mr.  Anthony,  and  you  are  the  first  to  answer  them 
in  this  manner.  I  have  been  a  student  of  sacred 
books  since  I  was  a  child.  I  do  not  wish  to  engage 
in  a  religious  discussion  —  " 

"  You  could  not  with  me,  if  you  wished,"  inter- 
rupted Paul.  "  I  am  quite  willing  to  give  you  my 
reasons,  and  proofs  for  the  faith  that  is  in  me,  but 
not  to  enter  into  a  discussion." 

"  Neither  do  I  wish  it,"  she  replied ;  "  but  I  would 
like  to  ask,  if  you  believe  that  this  Christ,  after 
whom  you  Christians  take  your  name,  was  the  son 
of  God?" 

"  I  do,"  replied  Paul. 

"  And  that  when  he  was  on  earth  he  was  able  to 
heal  the  sick  and  raise  the  dead  ?  " 

"  Yes,  for  sickness  and  death  are  not  of  God." 

"  Then,"  asked  Sofia,  —  and  her  whole  manner 
indicated  that  she  expected  an  equivocal  answer,  — 
"  if  you  believe  this,  why  do  you  hire  a  doctor  when 
you  are  sick  ?  " 

"  I  do  not,"  and  Paul  laughed  outright  at  the  look 
of  surprise  on  the  girl's  face. 

"  Do  you  think  you  could  stand  as  strong  a  cate- 
chising on  your  religion  ?  "  he  asked  after  a  moment. 

"  I  am  not  certain,"  she  replied. 


118        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Well,  I  am  not  going  to  try  it,  although  if  we 
are  to  be  better  acquainted  perhaps  I  ought." 

"  I  do  not  think  my  questioning  has  made  me  one 
bit  better  acquainted  with  you.  You  are  even  a 
greater  mystery  to  me  than  ever." 

"  Believe  me,  Princess,"  said  Paul,  with  the  great- 
est deference,  "  I  am  no  mystery  at  all.  I  am  a  very 
simple  man,  who  is  trying  to  live  the  nearest  possible 
to  what  he  believes  to  be  the  spirit  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments, given  us  through  Moses,  and  to  the 
teachings  and  example  of  Jesus.  There  are  many 
who  profess  to  be  Christians,  who  do  not  agree  with 
me.  That  is  their  right;  but  Jesus  said  of  all:  *  By 
their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.'  Of  you,  Princess, 
I  only  ask  to  be  judged  by  this  simple  rule." 

"  That  you  certainly  shall ;  and  while  I  am  posi- 
tive I  could  never  believe  as  you  do,  I  should  like 
to  hear  more  of  your  idea  of  God,  which  is  so  dif- 
ferent from  what  I  have  been  told  before." 

"  Some  day  I  may  tell  you  how  I  came  to  believe 
as  I  do." 

Again  they  leaned  over  the  rail  and  watched  the 
receding  water. 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Paul,  "  you  might  tell  me  some- 
thing about  the  delusions  of  life,  as  you  see  them." 

"  I  fear  I  am  not  wise  enough  to  tell  of  them  so 
that  you  would  understand ;  but  the  fast  flowing  cur- 
rent suggested  this  thought  to  me:  There  seems  to 
be  no  absolute  view-point  from  which  we  can  see  the 
realities.  The  pleasures  of  to-day  are  the  pains  of 
to-morrow.  The  friends  of  yesterday  are  the  enemies 
of  to-day.  The  loves  of  our  youth  do  not  last.  Even 


A    VOICE    IN    THE    WILDERNESS     119 

our  own  selves,  of  a  few  short  years  past,  are  not  our- 
selves of  a  few  years  hence.  All  are  delusions.  Noth- 
ing is  real.  Nothing  is  lasting." 

"  Except  truth,"  suggested  Paul. 

She  was  about  to  reply,  but  the  deep  note  of  the 
steamer's  whistle  put  an  end  to  their  conversation, 
and  everybody  hastened  forward  to  get  a  view  of 
the  village  they  were  approaching.  Some  sort  of  a 
holiday  fete  seemed  in  progress,  and  as  the  boat 
reached  the  shore  it  could  be  seen  that  a  great  crowd 
of  people,  young  and  old,  men  and  women,  with  their 
trousers  and  skirts  rolled  up  as  far  as  possible, 
were  tramping  about  in  the  soft  mud,  which  lay  in 
what  had  been  a  long  pool  a  few  rods  back  from 
the  river.  From  this  they  were  carrying  something 
to  the  firmer  land  and  depositing  it  in  huge  earthen- 
ware jars.  As  the  boat  came  still  nearer,  it  could  be 
seen  that  the  slough  was  full  of  fish,  and  it  was  to 
capture  these  that  the  people  had  turned  out. 

Inquiry  as  to  the  excitement  revealed  the  fact  that 
these  simple  people  were  engaged  in  what  was  con- 
sidered a  work  of  great  merit.  They  were  saving 
the  lives  of  the  fish,  which  had  been  stranded  when 
the  water  receded  after  the  overflow  of  the  rainy 
season.  They  were  working  with  all  the  ardor  of 
religious  fervor,  believing  that  it  would  help  them 
on  their  way  to  Nirvana.  It  was  saving  life,  which, 
to  the  Buddhist,  is  one  of  the  three  great  works  of 
perfection. 

While  the  boat  was  taking  on  fuel,  the  members  of 
the  party  landed  and  watched  the  proceedings,  which 
were  very  much  of  a  frolic,  even  if  it  were  a  religious 


120        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

work.  Great  laughter  there  was  over  the  wild 
plunges  and  flounderings-  of  the  boys.  There  were 
many  little  screams  and  shrieks  of,  "  A-me!  lel-leh!  " 
from  the  girls  as  the  fish  whizzed  away,  or  as  they 
slipped  with  one  leg  into  a  hole,  from  which  they 
were  only  extricated  after  much  teasing  and  tickling 
by  the  boys. 

The  fish  were  finally  all  caught  and  put  into  the 
great  jars  of  water.  Then  a  procession  was  formed, 
and,  finally,  after  a  winding  journey  all  over  town, 
the  fish  were  dumped  into  the  river.  Many  were 
already  dead,  and  many  were  so  weak  that  they  would 
die;  but  this  did  not  disturb  any  one.  A  great 
koung-hmoo  had  been  done,  a  great  merit  had  been 
accomplished,  and  there  had  been  great  fun  over  it. 

As  the  last  piece  of  fuel  was  heaved  on  the  deck 
of  the  Petrel,  the  party  boarded  the  boat  for  the 
final  stage  of  their  journey,  leaving  the  simple  villa- 
gers richer  by  some  scores  of  rupees,  and  perfectly 
at  peace  with  the  world  and  their  own  consciences. 


CHAPTER   VHI 

AN    EVENTFUL    DAY 

A  GLORIOUS  Oriental  sunset  was  gilding  the  peaks 
of  the  distant  Himalayas  and  filling  the  plain  with 
purple  mists,  as  the  Petrel  came  in  sight  of  the  an  • 
cient  city  of  Myang-Nee  on  the  frontier  of  Bajipur. 
Built  on  half  a  dozen  hills,  each  tipped  with  a  pa- 
goda whose  snow-white  spire,  set  in  a  base  of  glit- 
tering gold,  reflected  back  the  last  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun,  the  first  view  gave  to  the  visitors  an  impres- 
sion of  wealth  and  grandeur  which  was  not  borne 
out  by  a  closer  inspection  in  the  broad  light  of  day. 
But  this  detracted  not  at  all  from  the  impression 
created  by  the  first  distant  view. 

Elizabeth,  who  had  been  reading  of  the  wonders 
of  the  Thibetan  city  of  Lhassa,  felt  as  though  she 
were  entering  a  mysterious  land.  She  looked  at 
Sindhu,  dressed  in  princely  apparel  ready  to  receive 
the  dignitaries  of  the  city,  expecting  to  see  him 
transformed  into  a  different  being.  Unmindful  of 
her  thoughts,  but  realizing  the  over-abundance  of 
pagodas  displayed  on  the  landscape,  he  remarked: 

"  It  has  been  said  that  the  principal  production* 
of  Burma  are  pagodas  and  pohn-gyees.  It  is  a 
phrase  that  fits  the  tongue,  but,  fortunately,  it  i» 
Miaccurate. 

121 


122        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  However,  to  the  foreigner  it  is  marvellous  how 
many  pagodas  there  are  in  this  country.  No  village 
so  poor,  no  hill  so  steep,  or  so  covered  with  jungle, 
that  it  does  not  have  its  shrine  to  guard  the  place 
from  ghouls  and  sprites,  and  to  remind  the  people  of 
Buddha.  The  reason  is  plain  —  no  work  of  merit  is 
so  richly  paid  as  the  erection  of  a  pagoda." 

Elizabeth  made  AO  reply  to  Sindhu's  remarks. 
After  a  few  moments  pause,  during  which  they  were 
rapidly  drawing  near  the  landing,  he  continued: 

"  I  hope  you  will  find  my  country  and  people  to 
your  liking.  If  you  are  to  make  your  home  among 
us,  I  shall  want  to  feel  that  you  are  quite  satisfied 
and  happy." 

"  It  is  not  a  question  of  my  happiness,"  replied 
Elizabeth ;  "  it  is  a  question  of  duty." 

"  I  understand,"  he  said.  "  A  work  of  merit,  as 
we  say,  that  will  help  you  on  your  way  to  Nirvana." 

It  was  the  first  time  he  had  ever  alluded  to  her 
religion  or  indicated  that  he  had  any  particular 
knowledge  of  his  own.  It  seemed  a  fitting  time  to 
sow  a  seed,  and  she  replied: 

"  Heaven  is  not  to  be  attained  simply  through 
works  of  merit,  Prince  Sindhu,  but  through  the  blood 
of  Christ.  Our  great  Master  said :  *  Except  a  man 
be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  heaven.* 
Also :  *  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved.'  These  are  the  things  I  am  sent  out  here  to 
teach.  I  wish  that  I  might  cause  you  to  believe." 

He  looked  at  her  in  astonishment  to  think  that  any 
one  should  have  the  temerity  to  suggest  such  a  thing, 
and  threw  back  his  head  with  a  sharp  "A-me!" 


AN    EVENTFUL    DAY  123 

Then,  suddenly  changing  his  manner  to  one  of  grave 
courtesy  and  gentleness,  he  said : 

"  I  fear  that  would  be  a  most  difficult  task ;  but 
if  any  one  could  bring  about  such  a  seemingly  impos- 
sible condition  it  would  be  yourself,  Mah  Mee !  " 

The  term  of  familiarity  and  endearment,  rather 
than  the  manner  of  his  speech,  caused  her  to  regard 
him  intently,  but  there  was  in  his  bearing  nothing 
that  suggested  aught  but  the  utmost  respect.  Com- 
ing, however,  at  a  time  when  her  mind  was  filled  with 
different  thoughts,  it  struck  a  discordant  note.  A 
rebuke  came  to  her  tongue,  but  she  changed  her  mind 
and  answered  simply: 

"  I  am  afraid  that  you  do  not  understand  me  very 
well,  Prince  Sindhu,  or  you  would  not  address  me 
like  that." 

Even  greater  astonishment  was  depicted  upon  his 
countenance  than  before. 

"  And  why  not?  "  he  asked. 

"  When  you  stop  to  think  why  I  am  here,  your 
own  good  judgment  will  answer  you,"  she  said 
gravely. 

"  Forgive  me  if  I  have  offended  you,"  he  said  con- 
tritely. "  I  certainly  did  not  so  intend." 

She  smiled  at  the  evident  embarrassment  in  his 
manner.  "  It  is  forgotten,"  she  said. 

"  And  I  will  hear  more  of  your  great  teacher 
later,"  he  exclaimed  joyfully,  "  after  we  reach  Anna- 
kan.  But  here  we  stop,  and  I  see  that  I  shall  pres- 
ently be  in  great  demand.  I  shall  see  you  tomor- 
row, and  in  the  meantime  have  given  instructions  for 
making  you  and  your  companions  comfortable." 


124        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Then  to  his  father,  who  came  up  at  that  moment 
with  Sofia  and  Paul: 

"  Father,  I  shall  place  Mr.  Anthony  in  your  care. 
Sofia  will  have  to  do  the  honors  for  me." 

The  boat  was  made  fast,  the  plank  run  out,  and 
immediately  a  delegation,  consisting  of  the  chief 
magistrate  and  the  commanding  officer  of  the  gar- 
rison, with  a  number  of  their  official  suite,  came 
aboard.  Such  a  display  of  Oriental  court  manners, 
and  tinsel  grandeur,  was  never  before  witnessed  byr 
plain  American  travellers.  After  several  minutes  of 
salaaming  and  servile  prostrations,  the  dignitaries 
came-  once  more  to  an  upright  position,  and,  forming 
i  line  on  each  side  the  gangplank,  allowed  eight 
^-shirted  and  beribboned  palanquin  bearers  to 
rith  the  royal  sedan.  Gravely  and  with  the 
dignity,  Prince  Sindhu  took  his  seat  and  was 
[ashore,  where  he  was  met  by  another  group  of 
jned  and  gaudily  apparelled  officials  with  the 
royjW^elephant. 

Softer  the  Prince  had  been  helped   on  board   the 
animal,  a  similar  ceremony  was  indulged  in  over  the 
jess  Sofia,  who  had  also  laid  aside  her  European 
its  for  the  showy  and  elaborate  dress  of  an 
|al  princess. 

Elizabeth  had  thought  Sofia  a  simple  but  beau- 
during  their  companionship  on  the  journey 
she  now  discovered  her  to  be  possessed  of  a 
fie,  Oriental  beauty  such  as  she  had  never  be- 
forWcontemplated.  Little  Mrs.  Johnson  went  into 
raptures  over  her,  and  even  Paul,  who  had  heretofore 
paid  little  attention  to  the  personal  appearance  of 


AN    EVENTFUL    DAY  125 

any  of  the  ladies,  regarded  her  with  such  open-eyed 
admiration  that  she  regretted  she  had  not  donned 
the  costume  sooner;  for  wise  as  was  Sofia,  she  was 
possessed  of  her  full  share  of  Oriental  vanity.  And 
who  is  there  that  does  not  know  that  the  majority 
of  Burmese  maidens  spend  the  greater  part  of  their 
time  in  beautifying  their  person? 

"  After  seeing  you  thus  gorgeously  transformed," 
exclaimed  Paul  as  he  walked  forward  with  her,  "  I 
fear  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  we  shall  become  as 
well  acquainted  as  I  had  hoped." 

Her  eyes  sparkled  with  pleasure  at  his  words,  and 
with  the  exuberance  of  her  youthful  vivacity. 

"  You  will  see  quite  as  much  of  me  as  you  c 
endure,  and  we  shall  have  plenty  of  opporturr 
become  as  well  acquainted  as  is  good  for  me.     .. 
to  think  that  the  less  you  know  of  me,  the  g 
respect  you  will  have  for  my  wisdom." 

She  gave  him  her  hand,  as  it  came  time. for. 
leave. 

"  We  shall  see  all  of  you  in  the  morning, 
ber  that  we  still  have  quite  a  journey  before 

The  arrival  of  Prince  Sindhu  and  his 
Myang-Nee  offered  the  occasion  for  a  great  hcfli- 
day,  and  when  the  party  arose,  the  following  morn- 
ing, they  found  that  during  the  night  the  town  had 
put  on  its  gala  attire,  and  the  entire  population 
had  prepared  itself  for  a  grand  jollification.  Tl 
features  of  the  day's  program  were  the  inspect 
of  the  native  troops  in  the  morning,  and  a  bo* 
in  the  afternoon.  While  the  Americans  immedj 
perceived  that  they  were  of  little  consequence 


126        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

eyes  of  the  populace,  they  were  nevertheless  greatly 
interested  spectators.  The  review  of  the  troops  did 
not  promise  to  be  a  very  inspiring  sight,  but  at  leasv 
it  was  something  to  see,  and  it  was  a  great  day  for 
the  natives. 

At  daybreak  there  was  a  royal  salute  from  the  fort, 
and  immediately  after,  the  entire  populace  wended 
its  way  to  one  or  another  of  the  pagodas.  Prince 
Sindhu  and  Sofia,  escorted  by  all  the  dignitaries  of 
the  town,  repaired  to  the  great  pagoda  near  the 
mayor's  residence,  and  spent  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
in  worship.  As  an  official  guest,  Paul  was  invited 
to  accompany  them,  but  declined  and  spei/t  the  time 
in  reading  from  his  books,  and  communing  with  God. 
While  all  around  him  was  such  a  display  of  pagan 
idolatry,  he  found  it  no  easy  task  to  realize  the  un- 
reality of  the  error.  As  he  prayed,  however,  there 
came  to  him  the  realization  that  this  idolatry  —  con- 
spicuous as  it  was  —  was  not  indeed  more  oppressive 
than  the  various  forms  of  Christian  idolatry  which 
flourished  throughout  the  civilized  world.  Knowing 
the  unreality  of  the  one,  he  was  able  to  realize  the 
error  of  all,  and  to  put  away  every  sense  of  oppres- 
sion. 

Upon  the  return  from  the  pagoda,  a  royal  break- 
fast was  served,  after  which,  in  accord  with  English 
ideas,  Sindhu  received  a  deputation  of  tradesmen  and 
others.  Following  this  came  the  review  of  the  troops. 
Paul  witnessed  the  event  from  the  balcony  of  the 
mayor's  house,  in  company  with  Oo  Toung-lay  and 
Sofia,  and  the  others  had  a  similar  balcony,  in  a 


AN    EVENTFUL    DAY  127 

hotel  conducted  by  an  Englishman,  some  distance  up 
the  street. 

The  arrival  of  Prince  Sindhu,  on  the  back  of  an 
elephant,  was  the  signal  for  the  soldiers  to  be  set 
in  motion,  and  picking  up  their  guns,  much  as  though 
they  had  been  hods  of  mortar,  they  slouched  off  to 
the  beat  of  a  drum,  to  form  in  something  like  orderly 
array. 

Taking  his  position  in  the  center  of  the  square, 
Prince  Sindhu  declared  his  readiness  for  the  review 
to  begin.  As  he  gave  the  signal  with  a  wave  of  his 
sword,  he  glanced  across  the  square  to  where  Eliza- 
beth and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  seated  and  raised  his  hat. 
Instantly  every  soldier  turned  in  the  same  direction, 
and,  in  much  the  best  order  they  had  yet  displayed, 
came  to  a  present,  while  the  officers  saluted. 

"  We  are  evidently  of  some  importance  in  the  eyes 
of  the  natives  after  all,"  said  Mrs.  Johnson. 

"  They  remind  me  of  a  lot.  of  monkeys  imitating 
what  they  see  some  one  else  do,"  was  Elizabeth's  com- 
ment. 

Mrs.  Johnson  laughed :  "  A  very  well  trained  lot 
of  monkeys !  " 

To  Paul,  who  was  seated  by  her  side  on  the  oppo- 
site balcony,  Sofia  said: 

"  I  am  beginning,  already,  to  share  my  honors  with 
another.  When  she  shall  become  the  princess,  I  shall 
have  to  be  satisfied  with  very  little." 

"  Do  you  think  it  has  gone  as  far  as  that?  "  asked 
Paul  in  surprise. 

"  Our  people  evidently  think  so.     An  act,  which  i& 


128        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

-with  you  a  simple  courtesy,  means  recognition  of  a 
much  different  character  here." 

"  A  sort  of  acknowledgment  of  sovereignty  ?  " 
suggested  Paul. 

"  Well,  something  quite  like  it,"  Sofia  replied  with 
a  smile.  "  Do  American  gentlemen  consider  their 
wives  their  sovereigns?  " 

"  Without  a  doubt,"  he  replied  gallantly,  "  every 
American  woman  is  a  queen  to  her  husband." 

"  What  a  happy  land  it  must  be.  Of  course  there 
is  never  any  cause  for  a  divorce.  Many  women  in 
Burma  have  to  put  away  their  husbands  because  they 
will  not  do  as  they  are  bid." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  husbands  are  much  alike  the 
world  over,"  laughed  Paul.  "  We  do  hear  of  di- 
vorces occasionally." 

"  But  see !  "  he  exclaimed  as  the  troops  came  down 
the  street.  "  You  are  not  to  be  entirely  forgotten." 

A  troop  of  hill  tribesmen  came  swiftly  down  on 
their  fleet  Tartary  horses,  and  they  pulled  up  so 
suddenly  in  front  of  Sofia  that  the  horses  stood  on 
their  hind  feet  like  trick  animals  in  a  circus. 

Sofia  arose,  and,  taking  a  long  silken  scarf  of 
peculiar  design  from  about  her  shoulders,  let  it  fall 
from  the  balcony.  Before  it  had  fluttered  half  way 
to  the  ground,  the  captain  of  the  troop  had  put  spurs 
to  his  horse,  and,  dashing  forward,  had  caught  it  on 
the  point  of  his  lance.  Reining  his  steed  under  the 
balcony,  he  offered  the  scarf  to  its  owner. 

"  It  shall  be  your  new  standard,  Boh  Shway,"  said 
Sofia. 

Returning  swiftly  to  his  troop,  the  captain  gave  a 


AN    EVENTFUL    DAY 

brief  command.  Instantly  the  horsemen,  whirling  in. 
a  half  circle,  came  up  squarely  abreast  and  faced  the 
balcony,  where  they  again  forced  their  horses  back 
on  their  haunches. 

Paul,  who  had  been  an  intensely  interested  spec- 
tator, applauded  loudly,  exclaiming :  "  Such  horse- 
manship certainly  deserves  recognition !  " 

Sofia  turned  as  he  spoke.  For  a  moment  she  hesi- 
tated and  the  blood  rushed  to  her  face.  Then  she 
said: 

"  Come.  We  will  express  our  appreciation  of  the 
courtesy  together." 

Rising,  he  took  her  extended  hand,  and  stepping 
to  the  front  of  the  balcony,  beside  her,  uncovered. 

Immediately  the  entire  populace  raised  a  great 
shout  of:  "Sofia!  Sofia!  MahMee!"  The  drums- 
beat  and  the  horns  blew. 

"  They  are  certainly  fond  of  you,"  said  Paul.  "  I 
think  you  need  have  no  fear  that  any  one  will  ever 
supplant  you  in  their  affections.  It  is  a  fine  body 
of  horsemen." 

Sofia's  cheeks  still  glowed,  and  she  seemingly  could 
hardly  reply  for  the  excitement  of  the  occasion. 

"  They  are  my  own  troop." 

Oo  Toung-lay  had  also  risen,  and,  as  they  turned, 
grasped  Paul  by  the  hand. 

"  This  is  a  notable  day.  It  gives  me  great  pleas- 
ure!" 

"  It  is,  indeed!  "  said  Paul  with  emphasis.  "  I 
am  not  surprised  that  the  affection  of  the  people  for 
your  daughter  should  give  you  much  pleasure." 

Oo  Toung-lay  looked  at  Paul  in  an  uncertain  way, 


130        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

and  then  shot  an  inquiring  glance  at  his  daughter. 
She  still  seemed  greatly  agitated  by  the  applause, 
and  said  something  hurriedly  in  Burmese,  which  Paul 
did  not  catch.  Whatever  it  was,  it  satisfied  Oo 
Toung-lay,  and  he  resumed  his  inspection  of  the 
scenes  on  the  street,  while  Sofia  leaned  back  in  her 
chair  and  seemed  lost  in  thought. 

It  was  high  noon  before  the  last  feature  of  the 
review  was  over  and  Prince  Sindhu  was  able  to  retire 
to  his  own  apartments.  He  was  no  sooner  alone  than 
he  summoned  his  father  and  sister.  He  was  pacing 
up  and  down  the  floor  when  they  entered,  and,  with- 
out more  than  a  hasty  glance  of  recognition,  burst 
out  angrily: 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  most  remarkable 
action?  Has  my  sister  lost  her  mind  to  take  such  a 
step  without  consulting  me?  " 

He  stopped  in  front  of  her,  awaiting  her  reply. 
Sofia  looked  helplessly  at  her  father  as  though  ex- 
pecting him  to  speak ;  but  finding  no  encouragement 
in  his  looks,  she  burst  into  tears,  exclaiming: 

"  Oh,  brother,  forgive  me!  It  is  all  a  terrible 
mistake !  " 

"  A  mistake !  "  he  almost  shouted.  "  Of  course 
it  is  a  mistake,  and  one  that  I  can  see  no  way  of 
correcting  without  disgrace  to  you." 

Sofia  could  not  reply  for  her  tears.  At  length 
her  father  spoke  for  her: 

"  My  son,  it  is  even  worse  than  you  think.  Our 
guest  has  been  insulted  by  a  mad  girl's  prank !  " 

"  Insulted'?  "  shouted  Sindhu.  "  Is  it  an  insult  to 
be  publicly  acknowledged  as  the  affianced  husband 


AN    EVENTFUL    DAY  131 

of  the  Princess  Sofia?  It  is  we  who  have  been  in- 
sulted, —  that  he  should  have  dared  to  aspire  to  such 
a  position !  " 

Sofia  hid  her  face  in  her  hands  and  moaned: 

"  Oh,  brother,  forgive  me !  He  has  not  aspired ! 
He  does  not  even  know  what  all  of  the  excitement  of 
the  people  is  about !  " 

Sindhu  stopped  in  his  tracks  and  looked  first  at 
Sofia  and  then  at  her  father  in  blank  amazement. 

"  I  do  not  understand !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  If  you 
have  not  promised  to  become  his  wife,  why  have  you 
thus  honored  him  before  all  my  people?  " 

"  I  do  not  know !  Oh,  I  am  sure  I  do  not  know ! 
It  was  as  my  father  says,  a  mad  prank!  When  I 
saw  you  call  the  attention  of  the  people  to  the  Amer- 
ican girl,  I  was  impelled  to  call  their  attention  to  the 
man.  I  acted  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment." 

"  And  he  knows  nothing  of  what  it  all  means  ?  " 
asked  Sindhu. 

"  No  more  than  Miss  Raymond  knows  what  the 
other  means,  —  unless  you  have  told  her." 

"  I  have  not  told  her ;  but  I  intend  to  marry  her !  " 

Sofia  sprang  to  her  feet.  "  And  I  intend  to  marry 
him !  "  she  exclaimed. 

She  stood  before  her  brother  with  heaving  breast 
and  flashing  eye.  "  Is  there  any  reason  why  I  should 
not,  if  you  can  marry  the  American  girl?  He  is  a 
good  man,  I  know  he  is :  and  he  is  a  wise  man.  Why 
should  I  not  marry  him  ?  " 

Sindhu  stood  for  several  minutes  without  replying. 
He  finally  broke  the  silence  and  his  voice  assumed 
its  usual  calmness: 


132        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  You  know  nothing  about  the  man." 

"  Neither  do  you  know  anything  about  the  girl." 

"  That  makes  no  difference ;  but  she  is  single  and 
the  company  she  is  in  vouches  for  her  purity.  This 
man  may  have  a  wife  and  children." 

"  I  do  not  believe  it ! "  and  she  thought  of  her 
conversation  with  him. 

"  There  are  many  other  reasons,"  Sindhu  contin- 
ued, "  but  the  chief  one  at  present  is,  that  he  has 
not  asked  you  to  marry  him,  and  you  do  not  know 
that  he  ever  will." 

The  light  died  out  of  the  girl's  eyes,  and  she  sank 
into  her  seat  sobbing: 

"  True !  True,  he  may  not !  Oh,  why  did  I  ever 
do  such  a  foolish  thing !  " 

Sindhu's  heart  was  touched.  His  love  for  his  sis- 
ter had  been  one  of  the  ruling  motives  of  his  life. 
Her  distress  grieved  him,  and  now  that  his  anger 
had  passed,  and  he  had  come  to  know  his  sister's 
feelings,  he  recognized  that  the  easiest  thing  to  do 
was  to  make  the  best  of  a  bad  situation,  and  to  get 
out  of  it  as  quickly  as  possible.  But  how? 

"  Do  not  cry,  little  sister,"  he  said,  as  he  laid  his 
hand  caressingly  on  her  head.  "  It  will  all  come  out 
right;  but  we  shall  have  to  make  an  explanation  to 
our  guest." 

"  No !  no,  brother !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Not  that ! 
He  will  not  know!  He  need  never  know!  Please  do 
not  humiliate  me  in  his  eyes.  What  would  he  think 
of  me !  he,  in  whose  country  every  man  considers  his 
wife  a  queen !  " 

"  The  girl  is  right,"  said  Oo  Toung-lay.    "  I  see  no 


AN    EVENTFUL   DAY  138 

reason  for  explaining  to  him  what  the  people  think, 
We  leave  here  to-morrow.  Every  one  is  so  intent 
on  the  boat  race  that  they  will  think  of  nothing  else. 
I  will  see  that  no  one  has  a  chance  to  tell  him,  and  the 
thing  will  be  as  though  it  had  not  happened." 

Sindhu  remained  absorbed  in  his  thoughts  for  sev- 
eral minutes.  At  length  Sofia  laid  her  hand  on  his 
shoulder.  Her  action  was  one  of  pleading,  and  he 
turned  and  kissed  her. 

"  It  shall  be  as  you  desire.  But  later,  —  how  is 
my  little  sister  going  to  conduct  herself?  " 

"  Have  no  further  fear  for  me,  brother.  He  shall 
never  know  that  I  love  him." 

"  Not  even  if  he  asks  you  ?  "  inquired  her  father 
slyly. 

"  It  will  be  soon  enough  to  answer  that  question 
when  the  time  comes,"  declared  Sindhu,  brusquely. 

"  If  it  ever  does,"  said  Sofia. 

Oo  Toung-lay  took  his  daughter  in  his  arms  and 
kissed  her  tenderly.  It  was  an  unusual  action  on 
his  part.  Then  as  he  held  her  off  at  arm's  length,, 
and  surveyed  her  critically,  he  remarked : 

"  I  can  see  no  reason  why  the  time  should  not 
come." 

He  looked  at  his  watch. 

"  I  declare,  it  is  two  hours  after  midday.  Come, 
let  us  have  our  luncheon  and  get  ready  for  the  boat 
race." 


CHAPTER    IX 

THE    LAME    WALK 

FOUR  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  the  sun  is  stil) 
beating  down  on  the  mile  and  half  stretch  of  water 
that  extends  northward  from  the  city.  The  soldiers 
have  been  released  from  duty  and  all  thoughts  of  a 
warlike  character  have  been  laid  aside;  unless,  per- 
chance, the  contest  which  is  to  be  waged  by  the  rival 
boat  crews,  in  their  long  and  delicately  fashioned 
craft,  may  be  called  warlike.  Even  Sofia  has  stilled 
the  tumult  of  her  heart  sufficiently  to  don  a  more 
suitable  costume  and  make  herself  as  attractive  as 
possible.  With  her  father  and  the  rest  of  the  party 
she  has  sought  the  scene  of  the  great  aquatic  strug- 
gle, while  Paul,  unmindful  of  the  thoughts  that  are 
being  held  about  him  by  the  native  populace,  is  one 
of  the  most  active  of  those  who  have  not  a  personal 
interest  in  the  race.  Always  an  enthusiastic  oars- 
man, —  while  at  Cornell,  stroke  in  the  university 
eight,  —  he  now  notes  every  point  in  the  event  and 
comments  thereon. 

All  over  Burma,  which  is  threaded  with  rivers, 
boat  racing  is  a  favorite  pastime,  and  the  announce- 
ment that  the  Zama-lay  had  challenged  the  Toung- 
kaya,  hitherto  the  unconquered  champions  of  Myang- 

134 


THE    LAME    WALK  135 

Nee,  had  set  the  natives  wild.  Coming  out  after 
luncheon,  the  party  found  all  astir.  Girls,  with 
flowers  in  their  hair,  and  the  brightest  of  dainty  silk 
handkerchiefs  floating  over  their  dazzling  white 
jackets,  and  with  their  long  skirts  trailing  in  the  dust, 
were  hurrying  about  regardless  of  the  damage  to 
their  apparel.  Young  men,  ordinarily  scrupulous  of 
their  attire,  rushed  frantically  back  and  forth  in  an 
apparently  aimless  manner.  As  a  matter  of  fact  all 
had  a  common  obj  ect.  It  was  to  wager  the  last  rupee 
they  could  raise  on  the  result  of  the  race;  and  the 
excitement  at  times  reached  a  point  that  would  make 
the  betting  ring  at  the  Derby  seem  like  a  tea  party. 
Suddenly  there  was  a  lull  and  every  eye  was  turned 
towards  the  river.  The  boats  had  started  for  the  pre- 
liminary row  over  the  course.  It  is  always  necessary 
to  propitiate  the  river  spirits,  and  the  boats  were 
loaded  with  offerings  of  rice,  plantains,  flowers  and 
betel  to  appease  the  kelpies. 

Oo  Toung-lay,  as  an  hereditary  ruler,  had  been 
selected  as  the  judge.  The  old  gentleman  himself 
pulled  a  good  oar  twenty-five  years  ago,  and  is  now 
all  excitement  over  the  event.  He  takes  his  seat  in 
the  judge's  stand,  while  the  dignitaries  of  the  city, 
and  Prince  Sindhu's  party,  gather  about  him.  The 
challenging  crew,  twenty-four  in  number,  are  a  fine 
looking  lot,  as  they  pull  by  in  their  fifty-foot  boat. 
A  few  lengths  behind  them  paddle  the  champions, 
their  oars  keeping  time  to  a  rowing  song.  They  are 
alder  men,  every  one  of  whom  is  trained  to  a  finish. 
No  wonder  they  have  an  unbeaten  record! 

Both  crews  salute  the  grand  stand  as  they  pass» 


136        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

and  the  adherents  of  the  Zama-lay  greet  them  with  a 
shout  of :  "  Youk-kya !  Youk-kya !  "  as  their  oars 
flash  in  the  sunlight. 

The  winning-post  is  not  such  as  is  used  in  English 
or  American  boat  racing.  Instead,  a  boat  is  moored 
out  in  the  current  with  its  head  to  the  stream-  At 
right  angles  to  its  length  a  long  hollow  bamboo 
stretches  across  the  bows,  and  through  this  is  passed 
a  rattan,  the  end  projecting  an  inch  or  two  beyond 
the  mouth  at  both  sides.  The  contesting  boats  have 
each  their  own  side,  and  keep  their  own  water,  and 
the  bow  paddler  rises  and  snatches  at  this  rattan 
as  the  boat  flies  past.  It  thus  becomes  a  proof  of 
victory. 

"  Do  you  feel  like  placing  a  little  wager?  "  asked 
Prince  Sindhu  of  Paul,  as  the  contesting  crews  passed 
by  on  their  way  to  their  station. 

"  If  the  wager  is  of  the  right  sort,  I  would  not 
mind." 

"What  do  you  say  if  we  make  it  the  little  book 
you  guard  so  zealously,  against  my  copy  of  Sakoon- 
tala?  "  suggested  Sindhu  shyly. 

"  The  odds  in  your  favor  are  altogether  too  great." 

"  Suppose  I  say  two  of  my  favorite  books  ?  " 

"  Not  for  a  whole  library,'*  laughed  Paul ;  "  unless 
I  were  where  I  could  get  another." 

Sofia,  listening  to  every  word  uttered,  wondered 
if  this  little  book  could  be  the  "  pearl  of  great  price." 

**  I  have  written  for  several  more  copies  of  the 
book,"  explained  Paul,  "  and  I  hope  soon  to  be  able 
to  present  you  with  one.  If  we  must  make  a  wager, 


THE    LAME    WALK  187 

suppose  it  be  the  first  chance  at  doing  a  service  to 
some  one  who  shall  ask  it  of  us?  " 

"  Done !  "  said  Sindhu,  "  if  you  think  you  wifl 
know  how  to  make  me  pay  in  case  I  lose.  I  pick  the 
challengers,  giving  you  that  advantage." 

"  Thanks,"  said  Paul,  **  and  it  will  be  very  simple 
to  pay  when  the  time  comes." 

"  Well,  of  all  the  odd  wagers  this  is  the  oddest ! " 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Johnson.  "  I  do  not  see  how  it  will 
work." 

"  It  appears  easy  to  me,"  explained  Elizabeth. 
**  If  some  one  should  come  and  ask  you  or  me  to  give 
him  a  rupee,  and  I  were  the  winner,  I  should  be  al- 
lowed the  privilege  of  giving." 

"  Oh ! "  said  Mrs.  Johnson.  "  You  lose  when  you 
win?" 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Paul  with  a  boyish  laugh,  "'it 
is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.' ' 

The  votive  offerings  have  now  been  made,  and  the 
boats  are  turned  towards  the  starting-point.  The 
din  and  bustle  on  the  bank  become  greater.  The  bet- 
ting continues,  and  the  clink  of  rupees  is  heard. 
Oo  Toung-lay  tries  to  talk  to  the  Americans,  but  it 
is  no  use ;  he  cannot  keep  either  his  mind  or  his  eye 
off  the  boats.  The  only  one  of  the  natives,  in  the 
group,  who  does  not  seem  to  have  lost  his  self-con- 
trol, is  Sindhu,  and  as  Elizabeth  notes  the  difference 
in  his  manner  and  that  of  the  other  Burmese,  the 
superiority  of  the  man  over  his  environment  impresses 
itself  upon  her. 

At  last  there  is  a  hush  and  every  eye  is  turned  up 
the  river.  The  boats  are  at  the  starting-point. 


138        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

There  is  a  minute  or  two  of  straightening  into  line, 
and  then,  with  a  loud  shout,  they  are  off  to  a  start 
by  mutual  consent.  Served  by  their  magnificent  boat 
and  their  younger  strength,  the  challengers  take  the 
lead  and  continue  to  draw  ahead  until  half  way  down 
the  course,  when  daylight  can  be  seen  between  the 
two  boats.  Their  backers  shout  with  joy  and  already 
seem  to  see  victory  before  them;  but  the  champions 
appear  perfectly  composed  and  their  backers  seem 
without  fear. 

Each  boat  holds  its  position  and  the  banks  flash 
past. 

But  now  they  are  approaching  the  winning-post, 
when  suddenly  the  steersman  for  the  champions  lets 
out  a  yell.  Although  there  is  no  apparent  quicken- 
ing of  the  stroke,  the  gap,  which  for  the  last  few 
hundred  yards  has  remained  unaltered,  suddenly  dis- 
appears. Steadily  the  champions  creep  forward, 
until  for  the  first  time  the  challengers'  bow  sees  the 
enemy's  boat,  and  in  another  second  they  are  nose 
and  nose. 

Now  the  noise  on  the  bank  becomes  simply  deafen- 
ing. Shouts  of  encouragement  and  despair  alter- 
nately fill  the  air,  and  the  spectators  swing  their 
turbans  and  dance  about  like  wild  men.  Girls  crowd 
to  the  water's  edge,  heedless  of  the  mud  and  splash- 
ing which  will  ruin  their  silken  skirts.  Young  men 
and  boys  rush  up  to  their  necks  in  the  water  and  yell 
encouragingly.  Even  the  Americans  are  carried 
away  by  the  excitement  of  the  occasion. 

Now  it  is  only  a  boat's  length  to  the  winning-post 
and  the  champions  lead.  Oo  Toung-lay  suddenly 


THE    LAME    WALK  139 

utters  a  shrill  cry  that  cuts  through  the  din  like  a 
steam  whistle,  "Youk-kya!  Youk-kya!"  It  is  a 
shout  of  encouragement  to  the  challengers,  and  their 
adherents  take  up  the  cry. 

"  Youk-kya !  Youk-kya !  Row  for  your  lives ! 
Every  mother's  son  of  you!  Sway  lay  lay.  Row 
for  your  unvanished  name!  Youk-kya!  Youk- 
kya  !" 

The  two  bow  oarsmen  fling  their  paddles  from 
them  and  rise  for  the  finish.  The  boats  are  nose  and 
nose.  It  is  now  a  test  of  dexterity  as  well  as 
strength.  Which  shall  grasp  the  rattan  that  is  to  be 
the  trophy  of  victory.  The  wink  of  an  eye  too  soon, 
the  flick  of  a  finger  too  late,  and  there  will  be  noth- 
ing to  seize.  A  great  hush  falls  upon  the  crowd,  as 
both  men  suddenly  disappear  in  the  water,  apparently 
clutching  simultaneously  at  the  rattan.  Five  seconds 
of  breathless  suspense,  and  the  oarsman  of  the  chal- 
lengers rises  to  the  surface  waving  on  high  the  trophy. 
The  champion's  bow  had  only  felt  the  scratch  of  it 
on  his  hand,  as  it  disappeared  through  the  tube. 

The  scene  that  followed  was  beyond  description. 
Oo  Toung-lay  tucked  up  his  skirts  and  danced  like 
a  Highlander.  Then  he  turned  and  embraced,  first 
Sofia  and  then  Elizabeth.  So  excited  was  he  that  he 
failed  to  notice  the  difference  until  Sindhu  brought 
him  to  his  senses  by  remarking  with  a  laugh : 

"  Father,  I  am  surprised  at  your  frivolity !  " 

"  A-me" !  A-m6 !  But  the  young  lady  will  excuse 
me.  It  was  wonderful !  Wonderful !  It  reminds  me 
of  the  great  race  at  Akouk-toung  twenty-five  years 


140        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

ago.  I  feel  like  a  young  man!  Come,  let  us  go  and 
congratulate  the  winners." 

The  spirit  of  the  occasion  was  infectious.  Athletics 
had  always  been  Elizabeth's  strong  point,  and  she 
appreciated  the  old  gentleman's  enthusiasm. 

"  No  apology  is  necessary,"  she  laughingly  ex- 
claimed, "  I  feel  honored  in  being  made  a  party  to 
the  rejoicing;  and  besides,"  she  continued,  "  old  men, 
you  know,  are  privileged." 

"  Is  that  a  challenge  or  warning?  "   laughed  Paul. 

"  Whichever  it  is,"  exclaimed  Sindhu,  "  would  that 
I  were  old !  " 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  are  becoming  so  gallant," 
said  Sofia.  "  I  shall  begin  to  have  hopes  of  you." 

"  All  that  I  have  needed,"  replied  Sindhu,  "  was 
the  inspiration." 

He  gave  Elizabeth  a  glance  which  sent  the  blood 
to  her  cheeks. 

"  I  fear  that  I  shall  find  it  less  easy  to  forgive 
Prince  Sindhu  than  his  father,"  she  exclaimed.  *'  He 
was  carried  away  by  his  feelings." 

The  crowd  had  begun  to  leave  the  stand,  and 
Sindhu  and  Elizabeth  were  the  last  to  descend  the 
steps. 

"  Believe  me,"  he  said  in  a  voice  which  could  not 
be  heard  by  the  others,  "  I,  too,  have  been  carried 
away  by  my  feelings,  and  they  will  not  change." 

There  was  no  opportunity  for  a  reply,  for  which 
Elizabeth  was  truly  thankful,  although  she  felt  cer- 
tain it  would  not  be  long  till  she  would  have  to  make 
one.  Already  she  was  wondering  how  she  was  going 
to  answer,  and  what  she  was  going  to  say. 


THE    LAME    WALK  141 

WTien  the  party  reached  the  landing-place  the 
winning  crew  was  already  ashore,  and  Oo  Toung-lay, 
in  his  enthusiasm,  was  distributing  handfuls  of  rupees 
right  and  left.  Boys  and  girls,  indiscriminately, 
were  scrambling  on  the  ground  together,  in  their 
endeavor  to  get  one  or  more  of  the  coins,  and  the 
crowd  was  cheering  and  shouting  with  laughter. 
There  was  additional  cheering  when  Sindhu  and  Sofia 
approached,  and  the  latter  felt  her  heart  grow  faint 
with  apprehension  lest  something  should  be  said  or 
done  that  would  give  Paul  a  knowledge  of  how  their 
names  were  linked  together  in  the  minds  of  the  people. 
Outside  of  the  enthusiasm  manifested,  and  the  curi- 
osity which  was  naturally  excited  by  foreigners, 
nothing  occurred  that  would  indicate  to  any  of  the 
Americans  that  they  were  regarded  in  any  different 
light  now  than  they  were  upon  their  arrival  the 
previous  night. 

As  the  last  rupee  was  gathered  in  and  the  crowd 
somewhat  quieted  down,  a  number  of  monks,  bearing 
their  little  bowls,  appeared,  seeking  alms.  Nearly 
every  one  contributed,  and  the  members  of  Prince 
Sindhu's  suite  were  among  the  largest  contribu- 
tors. 

"  Does  the  giving  of  alms  to  the  pohn-gyees  come 
within  the  terms  of  our  bet  ? "  laughingly  asked 
Sindhu  of  Paul. 

"  It  might  under  certain  conditions ;  but  to  me 
they  have  not  the  appearance  of  being  in  great  need 
of  assistance.  If  they  are  not,  the  givings  of  alms 
is  a  wrong  rather  than  a  good  deed,  for  it  encour- 
ages a  life  of  idleness.  However,  it  is  the  custom  of 


142        PAUL    ANTHONY.    CHRISTIAN 

the  country  to  thus  support  them,  and  I  am  not  pre- 
pared to  discuss  its  wisdom." 

"  All  right,"  laughed  Sindhu,  "  but  remember  I 
am  to  have  the  first  chance  to  do  a  deed  which  we 
shall  really  consider  good." 

He  had  hardly  uttered  the  words,  when  there  ap- 
peared on  crutches  a  lad  of  possibly  thirteen  years. 
His  left  leg  was  drawn  and  twisted,  and  his  tattered 
clothing  and  emaciated  face  made  him  a  pitiable  ob- 
ject. 

"  Remember  the  afflicted,  kind  Prince !  Remember 
the  afflicted,  kind  gentlemen !  "  he  cried  as  he  ap- 
proached. 

"  Surely  this  is  a  worthy  object  and  a  chance  to 
do  a  good  deed !  "  exclaimed  the  prince,  as  all  reached 
for  their  purses.  *'  I  claim  as  my  wager  the  sole 
right  to  assist  this  helpless  youth.  I  know  well  the 
story  of  his  accident." 

He  took  from  his  purse  a  gold  piece  and  tossed  it 
into  the  lad's  cap  with  the  expression  of  keenest  en- 
joyment. Thankful  as  the  lad  was,  his  pleasure  at 
receiving  the  gift  was  clearly  not  as  satisfying  as 
Sindhu's,  who  exclaimed  joyfully: 

"  I  never  won  a  wager  that  gave  me  such  enjoy- 
ment." 

"  You  are  experiencing  the  great  truth  of  the 
blessing  that  comes  from  giving,"  said  Elizabeth, 
expressing  her  satisfaction  at  Prince  Sindhu's  words. 

Instead  of  hastening  away  with  his  gift,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  the  lad  lingered,  his  eyes  fixed 
steadily  upon  Paul.  Sofia  noticed  the  action  and  her 
heart  almost  stopped  beating.  She  felt  sure  that  she 


THE    LAME    WALK  143 

knew  of  what  he  was  thinking,  and  expected  every  mo- 
ment that  his  action  would  attract  such  attention  as 
would  betray  her  secret.  Her  father  likewise  noted 
it,  and,  as  he  had  undertaken  to  keep  the  knowledge 
from  Paul,  he  ordered  the  lad  to  take  himself  off. 

As  the  boy  turned  painfully,  something  in  his 
manner  —  something  in  his  look  —  caused  Elizabeth 
to  ask: 

"  Is  it  not  money  you  want?  " 

He  turned  appealingly  to  Oo  Toung-lay,  and  then 
his  glance  reverted  to  Paul,  but  fear  of  official  dis- 
pleasure prevented  a  reply. 

"  Certainly  money  was  what  he  wanted,"  exclaimed 
Sofia.  "  We  are  wasting  time.  Let  us  be  going." 

Paul  had  also  caught  the  lad's  glance,  and  recalled 
how  a  dog  with  a  thorn  in  his  foot  had  once  come 
to  him  for  assistance  with  that  same  look  of  mute 
appeal  in  its  eyes.  Stepping  forward,  he  asked: 

"  What  is  it,  little  brother?  " 

Sofia  in  a  very  agony  of  apprehension  tried  to 
step  between  them,  but  with  a  sudden  effort  the  boy 
threw  himself  at  Paul's  feet,  exclaiming : 

"  Great  pohn-gyee,  I  would  walk !  " 

At  this  most  unexpected  reply  every  eye  was  fixed 
alternately  upon  Paul  and  upon  the  lad  at  his  feet. 
At  first  Paul  was  quite  unable  to  understand  whence 
came  the  request,  and  for  a  moment  stood  nonplussed, 
while  Sofia  heaved  a  sigh  of  great  relief.  Raising 
his  eyes  from  the  boy,  however,  Paul  caught  sight  of 
Dhuleep  Mingh  crowding  forward  in  the  press  and 
the  mystery  was  solved. 


"  You  have  been  talking  with  the  pohn-na,  with  my 
servant?  "  he  said. 

"  Yes,  Sahib.  He  told  me  how  the  Sahib's  God  had 
awakened  him  from  the  dream  that  Ram  had  sent 
and  that  he  would  make  me  to  walk." 

"And  do  you  believe  him?  "    asked  Paul. 

"  Yes,  Sahib." 

For  some  moments,  while  the  people  stood  expect- 
ant, Paul  lifted  his  thought  in  silent  prayer.  Then 
he  raised  the  boy  tenderly  to  his  feet  and  placed  his 
crutches  in  his  hand.  Motioning  Dhuleep  Mingh 
to  his  side,  he  bade  him  take  the  lad  to  his  apart- 
ments. The  crowd  opened  to  let  them  pass  and  they 
were  quickly  lost  to  sight. 

"  A  most  remarkable  scene !  "  said  Elder  Meredith 
to  Prince  Sindhu.  "  Did  I  not  tell  you  our  friend 
was  teaching  the  natives  a  most  delusive  and  alluring 
sophistry  ?  " 

Sindhu,  remembering  the  report  of  the  resuscita- 
tion of  Dhuleep  Mingh,  replied: 

"  Let  us  wait  and  see." 

As  Paul  turned  from  the  boy,  he  confronted  Eliz- 
abeth. 

"  What  does  it  all  mean  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  The  lad  has  heard  of  God  and  His  Christ,  and  he 
would  learn  the  truth." 

"How?" 

The  one  word  and  the  manner  of  her  asking  re- 
vealed her  thought,  and  Paul  replied  as  plainly  and 
tersely : 

"  By  proof !     By  demonstration !  " 

"  I  do  not  think  that  I  quite  understand." 


THE    LAME    WALK  145 

"  Do  you  remember  the  last  words  of  Jesus  before 
His  ascension  ?  "  asked  Paul.  "  You  certainly  should. 
It  is  a  favorite  quotation  with  all  missionaries." 

Elizabeth's  face  flushed. 

"  Let  me  repeat  it  for  you,"  he  continued.  "  The 
injunction  recorded  in  Mark  xvi  beginning,  *  Go  ye 
into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,'  concludes  as  follows :  *  And  these  signs 
shall  follow  them  that  believe:  In  my  name  shall  they 
cast  out  devils ;  they  shall  speak  with  new  tongues ; 
they  shall  take  up  serpents;  and  if  they  drink  any 
deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them ;  they  shall  lay 
hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover.' ' 

"  It  was  not  necessary  to  quote  it,"  said  Elizabeth. 
"  I  am  very  familiar  with  it." 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  has  told  this  lad  these  things 
and  that  I  believe.  Dhuleep  Mingh  has  had  proof 
that  satisfied  him.  The  lad  wants  the  same.  I  am 
going  to  see  him  now." 

Paul  turned  abruptly  away.  Crossing  to  where 
Prince  Sindhu  was  waiting  for  him,  he  took  him  by 
the  arm. 

"  We  were  just  discussing  you,"  said  the  prince. 

Paul  smiled,  but  in  his  eyes  there  was  a  far-away 
look. 

"  So  I  suspected,"  he  said  mechanically ;  then  as 
he  brought  his  thoughts  back  to  his  immediate  sur- 
roundings he  said :  "  Will  you  grant  me  a  few  words 
in  private  ?  " 

Sindhu's  face  lighted  with  anticipation.  At  last  it 
seemed  that  he  was  to  learn  something  of  this  man's 
thoughts,  —  to  be  taken  into  his  confidence. 


146        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Come  to  my  apartments.  We  shall  not  be  inter- 
rupted. Father,  I  leave  our  guests  in  your  charge 
for  the  present." 

As  they  returned  to  the  mayor's  house  they  were 
the  center  of  attraction,  but  so  engrossed  was  Paul 
with  his  own  thoughts  that  he  paid  little  attention  to 
what  was  passing  about  him,  and  answered  all  ques- 
tions put  to  him  in  monosyllables. 

Seated  at  last  in  Prince  Sindhu's  chamber,  Paul 
came  at  once  to  the  matter  in  hand. 

"  What  you  have  just  witnessed,  Prince  Sindhu, 
has  been  rather  a  remarkable  scene.  Being  your 
guest,  and  you  occupying  so  exalted  a  position,  I 
feel  that  a  few  words  of  explanation  are  due  you 
before  I  take  the  next  step. 

"  As  you  know,  I  am  a  Christian.  Our  great 
Master  has  told  us  to  preach  the  gospel  and  heal  the 
sick.  Believing,  as  I  do,  that  the  command  is  im- 
perative, I  always  obey  it  in  so  far  as  I  am  able. 
This  poor  lad  has  asked  for  help.  You  gave  him  such 
as  you  could.  He  has  now  asked  for  more  help,  — 
help  which  shall  free  him  from  the  claim  of  bodily 
suffering  as  well  as  the  claim  of  poverty.  Under 
our  wager  you  claim  the  sole  right  to  assist  him. 
Can  you  give  him  the  help  he  now  asks?  " 

"  There  is  no  physician  this  side  of  Rangoon  who 
could  possibly  perform  the  required  operation,"  re- 
plied Prince  Sindhu. 

"  There  is  one,"  said  Paul,  "  the  great  Physician 
who  heals  all  our  infirmities,  —  even  the  one  God." 

Sindhu  looked  at  him  as  though  he  doubted  his 
sanity. 


THE    LAME    WALK  147 

"  Surely  you  cannot  expect  to  cure  this  boy  with- 
out a  surgical  operation  ?  "  he  said.  "  Not  since  the 
days  of  the  lord  Gaudama  has  such  a  thing  hap- 
pened." 

"  I  simply  ask  your  permission  to  try,"  replied 
Paul.  "  I  should  not  ask  the  permission  except  for 
the  unusual  condition." 

Sindhu  was  so  much  surprised  that  he  could  no 
more  than  exclaim: 

"  You  have  my  permission  to  do  whatever  you  de- 
sire, so  that  the  boy  is  not  killed !  " 

"  Death,"  replied  Paul,  "  has  no  place  in  God's 
kingdom !  I  shall  see  you  in  the  morning." 

Withdrawing  to  his  own  room,  Paul  found  Dhuleep 
Mingh  and  the  lad  already  there.  The  pleading 
look  on  the  boy's  face  had  given  way  to  one  of  joy- 
ful expectancy.  He  seized  Paul's  hand  as  he  entered 
and  would  have  kissed  it.  Paul  smiled  at  his  enthu- 
siasm and  said  gently: 

"  It  is  God  to  whom  you  should  feel  grateful  for 
the  truth  which  makes  men  free." 

He  placed  the  lad  in  a  great  easy  chair  and 
motioned  Dhuleep  Mingh  to  withdraw.  Then  he 
seated  himself  at  a  table  at  the  boy's  side. 

"  What  is  your  name?  " 

"  Moung  Gouk." 

"  And  what  has  Dhuleep  Mingh  told  you,  Moung 
Gouk?" 

"  That  the  Sahib's  God  woke  him  from  the  dream 
Ram  sent  him  and  that  he  also  woke  Moung  Utt  Nee 
from  a  fever  dream.  He  says  it  is  only  a  dream  that 


148       PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

I  cannot  walk,  but  the  dream  seems  so  very  real  to 
me,  Sahib !  " 

Paul  smiled. 

"  Mortal  mind  is  the  same  in  Burma  as  it  is  in 
America,"  he  thought  to  himself.  Aloud  he  said: 
"  Does  Moung  Gouk  believe  that  God  is  able  to  do 
all  that  Dhuleep  Mingh  has  said  ?  " 

"  Is  not  Moung  Gouk  here  ?  "    said  the  lad. 

"  Thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole,"  and,  "  Blessed 
are  the  poor  in  spirit  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  thought  Paul.  And  certainly  it  was  a  re- 
ceptive thought  with  which  he  had  to  deal.  As  he 
closed  his  eyes  in  prayer  the  lad  fixed  upon  him  a 
look  of  gentle  and  loving  confidence. 

For  many  minutes  there  was  absolute  silence  in  the 
room  while  Paul  sat  with  his  head  bowed  upon  his 
hand.  Moung  Gouk  watched  him  closely,  wondering 
at  his  attitude;  but  as  he  looked  and  wondered  a 
feeling  of  happiness  that  he  had  never  before  felt 
came  over  him,  —  a  sense  of  relief  from  pain  and  of 
perfect  comfort.  His  thoughts  began  to  take  tan- 
gible form,  and  he  found  himself  wondering  what 
this  God  was  of  whom  Dhuleep  Mingh  had  talked  to 
him  so  much.  Dhuleep  Mingh  had  told  him  God  was 
Truth,  Life,  and  Love,  and,  in  his  feeble  way,  had 
tried  to  explain  what  it  meant,  but  Moung  Gouk  had 
not  understood.  As  he  sat  there  watching  Paul, 
however,  he  began  to  think,  and  slowly  through  his 
consciousness  came  the  first  faint  glimpse  of  truth  — 
the  truth  that  makes  men  free. 

"  Truth,"  he  thought  to  himself,  "  is  something 
that  is  really  so,  always  was  so,  and  always  will  be 


THE    LAME    WALK  149 

so.  The  Sahib  says  that  my  lameness  is  a  dream.  A 
dream  is  not  true.  And  once  a  long  time  ago  when 
I  was  a  little  boy  I  was  not  lame." 

Then  as  Paul  continued  in  silent  prayer,  the  lad 
tried  to  think  how  he  came  to  be  lame.  He  remem- 
bered that  he  was  playing,  then  something  hap- 
pened and  he  felt  a  pain  in  his  leg,  and  when  he 
again  tried  to  run  he  could  not.  The  pain  in  his  leg 
was  always  there  and  kept  him  from  running.  Now 
the  pain  was  gone  and  he  felt  that  he  could  run  as 
well  as  ever. 

He  was  startled  from  his  reverie  by  a  light  knock 
at  the  door.  He  looked  at  Paul,  who  made  no  move 
to  answer  it.  The  knock  was  repeated.  Paul  slowly 
removed  his  hand  from  his  eyes  and  raised  his  head. 
He  caught  the  boy's  look,  and,  recognizing  the 
change  that  had  come  over  him,  in  a  voice  of  gentle 
command  said: 

"  Go  open  the  door,  Moung  Gouk ! " 

The  lad  slid  from  his  chair,  ran  across  the  room 
and  placed  his  hand  upon  the  latch.  Then  the  change 
in  his  condition  suddenly  burst  upon  him,  and,  fling- 
ing the  door  wide  open,  he  fairly  shouted : 

"  See !   See !   Moung  Gouk  can  walk !  " 

"  It  is  a  miracle ! "  exclaimed  Sofia's  voice  in  the 
doorway. 

For  the  visitor  whom  Moung  Gouk  had  risen  to 
admit  was  Sofia.  Unable  to  bear  longer  the  suspense 
of  what  might  be  taking  place  in  Paul's  room,  and 
feeling  certain  the  lad  would  let  drop  some  word  that 
would  lead  Paul  to  inquire  more  about  the  scene  of 
the  morning,  she  had  determined  to  interrupt  their 


150        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

conference  and  upon  some  pretext  or  another  get 
the  boy  away.  Judge  then  her  surprise  to  have  the 
door  opened  by  the  boy  himself,  and  to  hear  his  joy- 
ful exclamation  telling  of  his  changed  condition. 

"  It  is  a  miracle !  "  she  exclaimed,  stopping  dumb- 
founded in  the  door,  all  other  thoughts  driven  from 
her  mind. 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Paul  arising  and  coming  toward 
her. 

She  turned  as  though  she  would  flee,  but  he  detained 
her. 

"  There  is  nothing  supernatural  about  the  boy's 
healing,"  he  continued.  "  It  is  the  natural  working 
of  truth." 

Moung  Gouk  would  have  thrown  himself  at  Paul's 
feet,  but  Paul  prevented  him. 

"  Give  unto  God,"  he  said  impressively,  "  the  honor 
and  glory  due  His  holy  name." 

He  placed  his  hand  on  the  lad's  shoulder,  and  spoke 
again  to  Sofia,  with  that  tone  of  voice  which  had 
always  so  attracted  her: 

"  If  you  would  only  understand  the  truths  taught 
by  our  great  Master,  you  would  realize  that  the  lad's 
healing  from  lameness  has  been  accomplished  in  an 
absolutely  Christian  and  scientific  manner.  It  is 
Christian  because  it  is  done  in  the  name  of  Christ ; 
and  it  is  scientific  because  it  is  based  upon  a  Princi- 
ple and  rule  from  which  there  is  absolutely  no  devi- 
ation. It  is  also  divine,  because  all  truth  is  from 
God,  Mind,  and,  therefore,  there  is  no  real  knowledge 
that  is  not  divine." 

Sofia  looked  at  him  as  one  might  gaze  on  a  being 


THE    LAME    WALK  151 

from  some  other  sphere.  At  last  she  spoke  and  her 
voice  trembled  with  suppressed  emotion: 

"  In  spite  of  my  much  reading  your  words  are 
most  strange.  I  understand  but  vaguely  what  you 
mean.  I  only  know  that  by  some  mysterious  power, 
of  which  I  know  not,  you  have  caused  this  crippled 
boy  to  walk." 

"  It  is  not  I  who  have  caused  him  to  walk,  but  God, 
working  through  me.  He  has  answered  my  prayer 
offered  in  the  name  of  Christ." 

"  I  cannot  understand,"  she  still  replied.  "  I  will 
go  to  my  brother." 

She  turned  and  hastily  departed. 

Summoning  Dhuleep  Mingh,  Paul  bade  him  hastily 
carry  a  message  to  Prince  Sindhu,  asking  that  he  be 
not  disturbed  until  morning,  as  he  would  be  alone. 
The  request  was  granted,  but  the  information  carried 
by  Sofia  was  the  subject  of  long  discussion  between 
the  brother  and  sister  that  night.  In  his  inability  to 
reach  Paul,  Sindhu  sent  for  Elder  Meredith  and 
Elizabeth,  and  discussed  it  with  them.  During  the 
evening  Mr.  Lombard  came  in.  They  were  able  to 
offer  no  explanation  other  than  that  in  all  ages  God 
had  answered  the  prayer  of  faith. 

"  But,"  declared  Elder  Meredith,  "  Mr.  Anthony 
has  not  impressed  me  as  having  that  faith,  that  sub- 
mission to  the  will  of  God  that  would  bring  this 
speedy  answer  to  his  prayer.  He  has  seemed  rather 
to  deny  the  teaching  of  the  Bible;  to  deny  the  real- 
ity of  sin  and  the  power  of  God  to  send  punishment 
upon  mankind  for  transgressing  His  law." 


152        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  *  Judge  not  that  ye  be  not  judged,'  "  quoted 
Elizabeth.  **  *  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.' ' 

It  was  the  first  opinion  she  had  ventured  during 
the  conversation ;  but  her  heart  was  in  a  tumult. 
The  power  of  a  great  demonstrable  truth  was  making 
itself  felt. 

"I  do  not  wish  to  judge  any  one,"  said  Elder 
Meredith,  "  but  you  know  we  are  told  to  beware  of 
*  false  prophets,'  who  come  in  Christ's  name  — 
'  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing.'  Jesus  declared  that 
many  such  should  come  and  '  do  many  mighty  works 
which  should  deceive,  if  possible,  the  very  elect.'  The 
world  to-day  is  full  of  so-called  hypnotists  and  mag- 
netic healers  and  we  cannot  be  too  careful.  I  do  not 
doubt  God's  ability  to  heal  the  cripple,  —  I  simply 
question  the  means." 

"  In  other  words,"  said  Prince  Sindhu,  "  you  want 
Mr.  Anthony  to  conform  to  your  ideas  of  how  God 
should  heal  the  sick,  although,  as  I  understand,  you 
have  never  been  able  to  make  any  practical  use  of 
these  ideas  yourself." 

"  That  is  exactly  it ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Lombard, 
who  up  to  this  time  had  been  merely  an  interested 
listener.  "  Why,  God,  through  His  prophets,  healed 
the  sick  and  raised  the  dead  long  before  the  Teacher 
of  Galilee  was  born." 

"  I  did  not  come  here  to  discuss  theology,"  de- 
clared Elder  Meredith,  "  or  to  preach  Christianity 
to  one  who  has  the  testimony  of  two  thousand  years 
to  convince  him  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  I 
came  at  Prince  Sindhu's  request  to  give  him  what 


THE    LAME    WALK  153 

light  I  could  on  this  healing  of  the  cripple.  Come, 
Miss  Raymond,  we  must  be  going." 

Elizabeth  arose,  but  as  she  bade  Sofia  and  Prince 
Sindhu  good  night  said: 

"  I  cannot  help  but  feel  that  Mr.  Anthony  has 
found  something,  be  it  Christian  or  otherwise,  that 
the  rest  of  us  have  not  found.  He  believes  it  to  be 
the  truth.  It  makes  him  happy  and  enables  him  to  do 
much  good.  If  it  is  the  truth  it  certainly  must  be  of 
God." 

"  At  least  that  is  a  charitable  view  to  take  of  it," 
declared  Prince  Sindhu ;  "  but  I  should  know  that 
your  kind  heart  would  always  see  good  in  every- 
thing." 

"  The  more  I  see  of  Miss  Raymond,"  said  Sindhu 
to  his  sister  after  their  callers  had  departed,  "  the 
more  I  am  satisfied  that  she  is  a  remarkable  girl." 

"  And  the  more  I  see  of  Mr.  Anthony,"  said  Sofia, 
"  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  he  is  a  remarkable 
man." 

The  only  person  in  the  entire  party  who  did  not 
seem  surprised  at  Moung  Gouk's  healing  was  Dhuleep 
Mingh. 

"  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  the  Sahib's  God  would 
waken  you  from  your  dream  ?  "  he  said.  "  He  can 
awaken  us  from  all  our  dreams." 

"  But  how  are  we  to  know  they  are  dreams  ?  " 
asked  the  lad. 

"  Everything  is  a  dream  that  is  not  good,"  was  the 
reply. 


CHAPTER    X 

PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY 

PAUL  did  not  permit  Moung  Gouk  to  leave  his 
room  that  night,  and  devoted  the  time,  till  past  mid- 
night, in  teaching  and  explaining  to  the  lad  the  sim- 
ple truths  of  the  Bible,  —  in  telling  him  of  the  Com- 
forter, even  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  which  Jesus  declared, 
"  shall  teach  you  all  things,"  even  as  he  taught  in 
his  Sermon  on  the  Mount  and  demonstrated  by  his 
many  deeds.  Paul  told  the  boy  of  the  Christ  which 
taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world;  he  told  him  of 
that  Jesus  who  was  crucified,  and  who  arose  from  the 
grave  that  he  might  prove  by  his  resurrection  the 
nothingness  of  death ;  told  him  of  that  Saviour,  who, 
by  his  demonstration  over  death  and  the  grave,  by 
his  practical  atonement  as  the  Son  of  God,  made  us 
to  realize  our  at-one-ment,  our  unity,  with  God  — • 
Mind,  Life,  Truth,  Love. 

When  he  bade  Moung  Gouk  good-by  the  next 
morning,  Paul  told  him  to  go  directly  home  and 
talk  little.  "  Ponder  over  what  you  have  learned  and 
think  of  God  as  a  loving  Father." 

"  Yes,  Sahib,"  replied  the  boy  obediently,  "  but 
shall  I  tell  no  one  that  you  made  me  to  walk?  ** 

«  Tell  them  that  it  was  God." 
154 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       155 

The  lad  walked  slowly  across  the  room,  seemingly 
loth  to  go. 

"  Was  there  something  else  you  wished  to  ask  ?  " 
inquired  Paul,  noting  the  boy's  hesitancy. 

"  May  I  have  my  crutches,  Sahib  ?  " 

"  What  will  you  do  with  them?  " 

"  Give  them  to  some  other  boy  who  cannot  walk." 

Paul  smiled  at  the  very  human  answer,  although 
he  could  appreciate  that  the  thought  came  from  a 
desire  to  do  a  good  deed. 

"  Would  it  not  be  better  to  help  him  to  walk  as 
you  do  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  But,  Sahib,  I  don't  know  how." 

"  You  believe  that  God,  through  His  son  Christ 
Jesus,  has  made  you  to  walk,  do  you  not?  " 

"  How  could  I  doubt  it,  Sahib?  " 

"  This  same  Jesus,  when  he  was  on  earth,  bade  us 
to  follow  his  example  in  all  things.  If  you  believe 
in  him  you  c-an  help  others,  just  as  I  have  helped 

you." 

The  boy  looked  at  the  crutches  a  minute. 

"  Then,  Sahib,  I  will  keep  the  crutches  to  remind 
me  of  him,  and  of  you,  who  are  to  be  the  husband 
of  our  princess." 

Paul  looked  at  the  boy  in  surprise. 

"  You  must  not  have  such  thoughts  about  your 
princess,"  he  said. 

"Is  it  not  so,  Sahib?" 

"  Why  should  you  think  so  ?  " 

*'  All  the  people  think  so,  Sahib.  Did  she  not  take 
you  by  the  hand  before  the  prince  and  all  the  peo- 
ple? " 


156        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Paul  smiled  to  himself,  and  several  things,  for 
which  he  had  before  been  unable  to  account,  became 
suddenly  clear.  To  the  lad  he  said: 

"  When  I  am  gone,  tell  the  people  they  are  mis- 
taken. She  took  me  by  the  hand  because  she  has 
confidence  in  me,  the  same  as  you." 

"  Our  princess  is  very  beautiful,"  said  the  boy. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Paul,  "  but,  what  is  better,  I  think 
she  is  very  good." 

When  Paul  encountered  the  members  of  the  party 
that  morning,  no  mention  whatever  was  made  of  the 
healing  of  Moung  Gouk;  nor  did  any  one  inquire 
as  to  his  whereabouts.  There  was  an  atmosphere  of 
restraint,  and  a  tension,  that  could  not  long  con- 
tinue. But  it  was  temporarily  lost  sight  of  in  the 
preparation  and  ceremonies  incident  to  the  departure 
of  the  prince  and  his  retinue  for  Annakan. 

Eight  elephants  and  a  troop  of  horses  made  up 
the  caravan,  which  was  to  be  escorted,  during  the 
first  day's  journey,  by  the  company  of  hill  tribes- 
men which  had  made  such  a  creditable  showing  at  the 
review.  The  following  morning,  it  was  expected  to 
meet  a  troop  of  the  prince's  own  body  guard,  which 
was  to  come  down  from  the  capital  city.  The  entire 
population  turned  out  to  see  them  off,  and  there  was 
another  season  of  she-kohing  and  prostrations.  The 
official  Prince  Sindhu  was  quite  another  man  from  the 
Sindhu  who  had  so  far  adopted  English  manners  that 
he  could  attend  boat  races  and  private  receptions 
like  any  ordinary  gentleman.  At  last  it  was  over 
and  the  caravan  was  on  its  way. 

A  journey  of  ninety  miles  by  elephant  is  a  nov- 


elty  that  might  well  interest  any  young  man  or 
woman  brought  up  less  than  a  daylight  ride  by  rail 
from  New  York.  Especially  may  it  be  considered 
a  novelty  when  fifty  miles  of  the  journey  is  through 
an  Indian  jungle.  Here  a  troop  of  hillmen  are  not 
more  needed  for  protection  from  bands  of  marauding 
Tartars,  from  the  borders  of  Thibet,  than  from  the 
wild  beasts  which  infest  the  country.  Riding  on  the 
back  of  an  elephant  is  a  curious  sensation  at  best, 
and  this,  added  to  a  feeling  that  if  the  beast  should 
suddenly  bolt,  there  would  be  little  chance  of  stop- 
ping him  till  he  had  torn  up  a  few  trees  and  created 
other  damage  in  his  flight,  makes  elephant  riding 
quite  as  thrilling  as  a  spin  in  a  forty-horse  power 
autc-mobile,  although  the  rate  of  speed  is  consider- 
ably less. 

Indian  royal  etiquette  demanded  that  the  elephants 
ridden  by  Prince  Sindhu  and  Sofia  should  carry  no 
one  else;  hence,  during  the  journey,  they  were  con- 
demned to  solitary  grandeur  and  silence,  unless  they 
should  feel  inclined  to  speak  to  the  mahout  perched 
upon  the  animal's  head.  The  third  elephant  carried 
Paul  and  Oo  Toung-lay ;  Mr.  Lombard  and  an  officer 
of  the  royal  household  rode  a  fourth ;  the  fifth  carried 
Elizabeth  and  Mrs.  Johnson,  and  the  sixth  Mr.  John- 
son and  Elder  Meredith.  The  other  two  carried  each 
an  attendant  and  baggage,  while  the  rest  of  the 
retinue  came  along  on  horses.  It  was  a  very  preten- 
tious cavalcade  and  required  a  broad  thoroughfare 
to  make  much  headway. 

After  the  city  had  been  left  behind,  and  the  cara- 
van had  settled  down  to  its  steady  pace,  Prince 


158        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Sindhu  began  to  go  over  in  his  mind  the  events  of 
the  past  two  weeks,  especially  his  connection,  and  that 
of  his  family,  with  Paul  Anthony.  As  he  rode  along 
the  road,  he  meditated  upon  the  things  he  had  seen 
and  heard,  and  tried  to  determine  in  his  own  mind 
what  there  was  about  Paul  that  so  attracted  people 
towards  him.  He  was  forced  to  admit  to  himself  that 
Paul  was  a  most  satisfactory  fellow  traveller  and 
jovial  companion.  And  while  he  was  evidently  a  man 
possessed  of  a  vast  fund  of  information,  he  was  as 
retiring  as  a  school  girl,  except  when  asked  for  as- 
sistance or  advice.  He  would  then  put  himself  for- 
ward to  do  everything  possible,  but  with  the  utmost 
consideration  for  the  feelings  and  opinions  of  others. 
Despite  the  fact  that  Sindhu  had  frequently  heard 
his  opinions  criticized,  he  had  never  heard  Paul  an- 
swer in  a  hasty  manner ;  and  in  his  dealings  with  the 
men  at  the  oil  field  he  had  found  him  invariably 
pleasant  and  kind.  He  had  none  of  the  disagreeable 
habits  so  common  to  English  and  foreign  travellers, 
and  Sindhu  had  noticed  that  he  neither  used  tobacco 
nor  intoxicants,  —  the  latter  fact  having  made  a 
particularly  good  impression,  because  the  Burman 
is  absolutely  abstemious,  and  has  a  great  disgust  for 
the  quantities  of  stimulants  consumed  by  his  British 
masters.  In  short,  though  Prince  Sindhu  did  not  so 
express  it,  he  found  that  Paul  was  doing  absolutely 
unto  others  as  he  would  have  them  do  unto  him. 

But  this  raising  of  a  man  who  had  been  stricken 
by  electricity,  and  this  making  of  a  cripple  to  walk, 
—  these  were  the  things  Sindhu  could  not  under- 
stand. Was  it  the  result  of  some  occult  mental 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY      159 

power,  or  was  it  the  result  of  prayer  to  his  God? 
One  seemed  quite  as  likely  as  the  other  to  Sindhu, 
\vho  had  been  familiar  from  his  youth  with  the  re- 
markable feats  performed  by  the  Indian  fakirs  and 
jugglers. 

During  his  morning's  ride,  the  prince's  mind  was 
also  more  or  less  occupied  with  Elizabeth.  He  re- 
called the  scene  on  the  day  of  the  parade,  his  salute, 
her  seeming  pleasure;  likewise  Sofia's  mad  act  and 
her  declaration  concerning  Paul.  Then  suddenly, 
like  a  flash  of  lightning  from  a  clear  sky,  came  this 
thought : 

"  Is  this  man  really  a  hypnotist,  and  has  he  by 
some  strange  mental  process  gained  control  over  all 
of  us,  —  particularly  over  Sofia?" 

It  startled  him ;  and  Sindhu,  being  a  man  of  action 
once  his  mind  was  made  up,  determined  that  Paul 
should  answer  to  him  —  and  that  in  the  presence  of 
his  own  countrymen  —  how  and  by  what  power  he 
was  able  to  do  the  things  he  did.  He  should  answer 
this  very  night.  If  he  were  good  and  honest  he  would 
be  able  to  prove  it.  If  he  were  not,  he  should  be 
exposed  and  punished.  Without  any  reason  what- 
ever, the  more  Sindhu  pondered  over  the  matter,  the 
more  he  became  convinced  that  the  last  possibility 
must  be  the  correct  one.  To  such  an  extent  did  he 
bring  himself  to  believe  this  that,  when  they  halted 
for  the  night,  and  he  was  brought  face  to  face  with 
Paul,  he  greeted  him  with  so  great  coldness  that 
Paul  was  a  bit  disconcerted;  but  as  soon  as  he  rec- 
ognized that  the  change  must  be  the  result  of  some 
error,  and  realized  that  it  certainly  must  be  destroyed 


160        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

when  the  truth  were  known,  he  resumed  his  wonted 
manner. 

Paul  was  not  surprised,  however,  when  half  an 
hour  later  he  was  summoned  to  Prince  Sindhu's  tent. 
He  intuitively  felt  that  an  ordeal  was  before  him, 
and  that  the  time  had  come  when  he  would  have  to 
defend  himself  as  did  the  great  apostle  before 
Agrippa.  It  was  not  to  him  a  time  of  trial,  but 
one  of  triumph  that  he  was  to  be  able  to  bear  testi- 
mony for  the  Christ,  Truth.  He  felt  that  he  was 
but  going  to  a  testimony  meeting,  where  he  was  to 
have  the  privilege  of  telling  what  the  understanding 
of  Truth  had  done  for  him.  Realizing,  therefore,  the 
spiritual  import  of  the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  "  He 
that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High 
shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty,"  he 
entered  the  royal  tent  with  no  trepidation. 

In  view  of  his  private  interview  of  the  preceding 
day,  Paul  had  expected  to  find  Prince  Sindhu  alone, 
or  possibly  in  company  with  his  father  and  sister. 
He  was,  therefore,  somewhat  surprised  to  find  the 
entire  party  assembled,  and  a  sense  of  having  been 
judged  in  advance  by  at  least  part  of  those  present, 
created  for  a  moment  a  feeling  of  resentment  at  the 
seeming  injustice.  Then  came  the  realization  that 
"  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to 
his  purpose,"  and  he  could  see  that  it  was  better  that 
he  should  bear  witness  to  the  truth  in  such  a  manner 
that  all  interested  might  hear. 

He  greeted  the  company  with  a  smile  as  he  entered, 
remarking  that  it  was  indeed  an  unexpected  pleasure. 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       161 

Of  all  those  present,  he  was  plainly  the  least  embar- 
rassed. To  ease  the  situation  he  said :  "  On  the  last 
night  we  shall  all  be  together,  it  is  certainly  fitting 
that  we  should  enjoy  a  brief  season  of  friendly  inter- 
course to  discuss  the  events  of  the  past  few  days." 

His  taking  of  the  initiative  easily  made  him  master 
of  the  situation.  His  open  smile,  his  evident  freedom 
from  embarrassment,  and  his  kindly  manner,  were 
at  once  reflected  in  the  bearing  of  Prince  Sindhu, 
who  replied  graciously: 

"  It  is,  as  you  say,  a  fitting  time  to  review  the 
events  of  the  past  few  days.  And  it  is  for  that  pur- 
pose that  I  have  assembled  the  party  this  evening. 
You  are  a  wise  man,  Mr.  Anthony,  and  it  must  be 
evident  to  you  that  we  are  all  deeply  interested  in 
the  very  unusual  statements  we  have  heard  you  make 
from  time  to  time,  and  in  the  still  more  unusual  things 
we  have  seen  you  do.  It  is  unnecessary  to  recount 
them.  You  must  be  perfectly  well  aware  of  what  I 
mean.  Being  a  man  of  discernment,  you  must  also 
have  known  that  these  acts  would  of  a  necessity  create 
in  our  minds  a  variety  of  opinions  —  doubts,  if  you 
prefer  —  as  to  the  power  you  possess,  whence  it 
comes,  and  how  derived.  As  you  say,  this  will  be 
our  last  night  together.  It  seemed  to  me  proper, 
therefore,  that  you  should  be  asked  to  tell  us  some- 
thing of  your  unusual  belief,  and  how  it  has  be*1'! 
developed." 

Paul  heard  the  words  of  Prince  Sindhu  with  un- 
feigned pleasure. 

"  I  certainly  do  appreciate  the  position  of  every 
member  of  this  assemblage,  Prince  Sindhu,  and  I 


162        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

am  not  only  willing  but  glad  to  bear  witness  to  the 
truth,  even  as  did  our  great  Master  so  many  years 
ago." 

"  I  felt  sure  such  would  be  the  case,"  said  Prince 
Sindhu,  his  mental  attitude  toward  Paul  again  be- 
coming one  of  friendliness,  although  he  outwardly 
retained  his  semi-official  dignity. 

As  Paul  took  the  seat  which  had  been  left  vacant 
for  him,  there  was  a  general  hitching  of  chairs,  and 
an  intuitive  drawing  nearer,  so  that  not  a  single  word 
of  what  he  had  to  say  should  be  lost. 

"  In  order  that  you  may  the  better  understand  the 
things  I  have  said  and  done,  and  the  things  I  may 
say  f  nd  do  hereafter,"  began  Paul,  with  the  easy  and 
simple  manner  of  one  who  is  narrating  facts,  "  it 
will  be  necessary  for  me  to  relate  to  you  a  brief  chap- 
ter cut  of  my  life.  I  trust  you  will  pardon  my  fre- 
quent use  of  the  personal  pronoun ;  for,  as  it  is  of 
my  own  consciousness  you  would  know,  and  of  my 
reasons  for  the  faith  that  is  within  me,  I  do  not  see 
how  it  can  be  avoided. 

"  As  a  boy  I  was  brought  up  in  a  Christian  house 
hold.  My  grandmother,  a  descendant  of  old  Pilgrim 
stock,  a  Winslow  by  name,  was  a  profound  scholar. 
As  a  child  I  was  taught  the  truths  of  the  Scriptures 
to  the  extent  of  her  highest  understanding.  She  was 
pronounced  in  her  views,  but  not  narrow.  Night 
after  night,  when  every  other  member  of  the  house- 
hold was  in  bed,  she  would  get  out  her  Bible,  her 
Calumet  and  her  Henry's  Commentaries,  and  study 
for  hours.  Yet  upon  her  death-bed,  at  the  age  of 
ninety-three,  when  she  said  to  my  mother :  '  Nellio 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       163 

I  am  going,'  and  my  mother  asked:  'Where?'  she 
replied :  '  To  heaven,  I  hope.'  She  had  lived  all  her 
life  preparing  for  this  very  hour,  and  yet  when  it 
arrived,  she  was  unable  to  know  to  a  certainty  her 
future  condition.  The  best  she  could  do  was  still  to 
hope,  as  she  had  been  doing  all  her  life. 

"  The  scene  made  a  great  impression  upon  me, 
and  I  thought,  *  What  sort  of  a  guide  to  eternal  life 
is  this  Bible  when  we  cannot  determine,  to  a  scien- 
tific certainty,  our  future?  '  Even  then  I  believed  the 
Bible  must  tell,  if  we  could  only  read  it  aright;  just 
as  I  believed  that  we  should  be  able  to  pray  so  that 
our  prayers  would  be  answered,  and  not  have  them 
continually  unanswered  because  *  we  asked  amiss.' 

"  My  sole  object  in  referring  to  this  incident  is 
to  show  why  I  came  to  gradually  lose  faith  in  the 
Bible  and  in  the  God  concerning  whom  it  seemed  tc 
teach." 

Elder  Meredith  and  Reverend  Johnson  exchanged 
glances  which  seemed  to  say :  "  Just  as  we  expected !  " 

"  For  a  number  of  years  I  studied  the  commen- 
taries of  celebrated  doctors  of  divinity  and  Bible  stu- 
dents, and  at  length  came  to  be  a  confirmed  agnostic. 
I  still  had  a  lingering  belief  that  there  must  be  a 
Supreme  Being,  but  as  to  what  sort  of  a  God  He  was, 
I  became  simply  a  questioner,  —  a  doubter.  I  ceased 
altogether  to  attend  church,  and  spent  my  leisure 
hours  in  idle  pleasure  and  dissipation. 

"  As  in  the  case  of  many  another  young  man,  this 
life  soon  began  to  have  an  evil  effect  upon  my  mental 
and  physical  condition.  I  became  a  nervous  wreck 
and  a  keen  sufferer  from  a  complication  of  diseases. 


164        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Instead  of  weighing  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds, 
as  I  now  do,  I  weighed  less  than  one  hundred  and 
twenty.  I  was  irritable  and  morose.  My  friends 
began  to  avoid  me.  My  health  finally  became  so  bad 
that  I  saw  that  if  I  did  not  get  some  relief,  my  span 
of  life  was  short.  For  three  years  I  haunted  the 
physicians.  They  did  their  best  for  me,  and  finally 
one  kind  old  doctor  said :  '  Young  man,  the  only 
thing  that  can  prolong  your  life  past  the  autumn 
will  be  to  get  entirely  away  from  your  work.  Go 
out  in  the  country  and  rest  up.  If  you  can  live  for 
three  months  on  milk  and  eggs,  you  may  get  better. 
You  are  past  the  point  where  drugs  can  help  you. 
because  your  stomach  refuses  to  assimilate  them.' 

"  I  left  the  doctor's  office  feeling  there  was  noth- 
ing more  in  life  for  me,  and  that  I  might  as  well  end 
it  all.  I  had  just  been  given  my  first  big  engineer- 
ing job,  and  I  thought  that  if  I  could  not  put  it 
through,  my  career  as  an  engineer  would  stop  right 
there.  Still  I  felt  that  I  did  not  have  the  strength 
to  accomplish  the  task. 

"  In  this  condition  I  walked  aimlessly  down  the 
street  towards  my  office,  when,  through  the  goodness 
of  God  as  I  now  know,  I  encountered  a  friend  whom 
I  had  not  seen  for  several  years.  When  I  had  last 
met  him  he  was  walking  with  a  cane,  wore  glasses, 
and  was,  in  fact,  a  pitiable  object  as  the  result  of 
St.  Vitus'  dance,  with  which  he  had  been  afflicted  for 
years.  Now  he  was  walking  erect  without  a  cane, 
he  wore  no  glasses  and  all  evidences  of  the  malady 
had  disappeared. 

"  I  greeted  him  with  such  a  look  of  surprise  'Hat 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       165 

he  laughed  outright;  and  when  I  exclaimed  upon 
his  changed  and  healthy  condition,  I  expected  of 
course  that  he  would  comment  upon  my  unhealthy 
appearance.  He  did  nothing  of  the  sort,  and,  be- 
cause it  was  uppermost  in  my  mind,  I  finally  ex- 
claimed :  '  I  wish  that  I  felt  as  well  as  you  do.  The 
doctor  has  given  me  just  two  months  to  live.' 

"  '  The  doctors  do  not  know  it  all,'  he  replied. 
*  There  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  be  just  as 
well  as  I.' 

"  I  looked  at  him  incredulously  as  I  replied :  '  I 
might  be  if  I  had  a  doctor  who  understood  my  case 
as  well  as  some  one  seems  to  have  understood  yours.' 

"  '  There  is  one,'  he  declared ;  *  the  great  Physi- 
cian who  healeth  all  our  diseases.' 

"  I  could  scarcely  believe  the  evidence  of  my  ears. 
At  first  I  was  inclined  to  laugh,  but  my  sense  of  com- 
mon courtesy  forbade.  Being  familiar  with  the  Bible, 
I  knew  exactly  what  he  meant,  and  so,  after  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation,  replied: 

"  *  Of  course  I  was  brought  up  to  believe  that  God 
could  make  me  well  if  He  wanted  to ;  but  I  am  mighty 
sure  that  He  will  not.' 

"  *  That  is  what  I  used  to  think,'  he  replied,  *  un- 
til I  found  out  the  truth  —  the  truth  which  makes 
men  free.' 

"  Something  in  my  friend's  voice  —  something  in 
his  manner  —  impressed  me  quite  as  much  as  his 
physical  appearance.  He  seemed  to  have  found  some- 
thing which  was  causing  him  to  fairly  bubble  over 
with  health  and  good  feeling.  His  face  fairly  shone 
tfith  happiness." 


166        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Paul  paused  for  a  moment.  He  had  caught  Sofia's 
glance  and  it  recalled  the  remark  she  had  addressed 
to  him  that  first  night  at  the  oil  fields. 

"  I  see  you  understand,"  he  said,  addressing  his 
remark  to  her.  She  nodded  her  head. 

"  '  Tell  me  where  I  can  find  this  remarkable  truth,' 
I  said  to  my  friend. 

"  '  It  is  all  in  the  Bible,'  he  replied,  '  if  you  read 
it  with  the  proper  understanding.' 

"  *  And  where,'  I  asked  with  an  incredulous  smile, 
*am  I  to  get  this  wonderful  understanding?  ' 

"  He  reached  into  his  inside  pocket  and  took  there- 
from a  little  book  just  like  this,"  and  Paul  drew  from 
his  own  pocket  a  little  black  volume. 

"  '  From  this  book,'  he  declared  with  a  smile,  '  you 
will  be  able  to  gain  the  understanding  you  desire; 
and  you  will  be  made  well.' 

"  I  took  the  book  from  his  hand,  and,  opening 
to  the  title-page  read :  '  Science  and  Health  with 
Key  to  the  Scriptures,  by  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy.' ' 

As  Paul  mentioned  the  author's  name,  the  Ameri- 
cans, with  the  exception  of  Elder  Meredith,  gave  a 
perceptible  start,  and  Elizabeth  exclaimed  under  her 
breath : 

"  Christian  Science !  " 

"  I  ought  to  have  recognized  it  before,"  exclaimed 
Elder  Meredith ;  "  but  I  have  been  away  from  the 
United  States  so  long  that  I  have  not  kept  in  touch 
with  the  fads  of  the  day,  and  supposed  that  this  one 
had  long  since  died  a  natural  death." 

Paul  smiled  broadly  at  Elder  Meredith's  remark 
as  he  replied :  "  No,  Elder,  it  has  not  died  either  a 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       167 

natural  or  a  violent  death,  although  often  attacked. 
Instead,  it  has  lived  a  natural  life.  There  are,  to- 
day, probably  a  million  people  who  are  studying  its 
precepts,  which  are  taught  in  more  than  a  thousand 
places  of  worship ;  while  unnumbered  thousands  have 
been  rescued  from  sickness,  sin  and  death  by  its  min- 
istrations." 

"  The  book  seems  to  be  one  with  which  all  your 
countrymen  are  familiar,"  said  Prince  Sindhu. 

"  With  which  they  think  they  are  familiar,"  cor- 
rected Paul.  "  I,  too,  thought  I  knew  all  about  its 
teachings,  and  I  said  to  my  friend  with  a  sneer :  '  So 
you  want  me  to  try  Christian  Science?  Do  I  look 
as  crazy  as  all  that?  ' 

"  I  had  expected  that  he  might  be  offended,  or  that 
he  would  try  to  argue  me  into  reading  the  book; 
but  he  only  smiled  and  replaced  the  volume  in  his 
pocket,  remarking: 

"'Do  I  look  healthy?' 

"  *  You  surely  do ! '  I  exclaimed. 

'"<  Do  I  look  crazy?' 

"  I  scrutinized  him  closely  before  replying,  and 
at  last  said :  '  I  cannot  say  that  you  do ;  however,  if 
you  believe  the  teachings  of  that  book,  you  must  be 
crazy ;  and  there  are  a  great  many  lunatics  who  are 
not  in  the  asylum.' 

"  '  Did  you  ever  read  it  ?  '  he  asked. 

"  '  I  have  got  too  much  sense,'  I  replied ;  *  but 
I  have  read  plenty  about  it  in  the  newspapers,  and 
any  one  who  can  believe  some  of  the  things  it  teaches 
must  be  insane.' 

"  *  How  do  you  know  what  it  teaches  if  you  never 


168        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

studied  it  —  or  even  read  it  ?  '  he  asked  with  an  ag- 
gravating smile." 

"  '  People  have  told  me,  and  the  newspapers  are 
full  of  it,'  I  replied  half  in  anger. 

"  Again  he  smiled  good-naturedly  and  said :  *  I 
will  tell  you  what,  Paul;  if  we  Christian  Scientists 
really  believed  most  of  the  things  which  people  say 
we  believe,  —  but  which  are  as  far  from  the  real 
teachings  of  this  book  as  night  is  from  day,  —  we 
should  be  just  as  crazy  as  people  think  we  are.  The 
great  majority  of  things  which  ignorant  people 
charge  us  with  believing  seem  just  as  foolish  to  me 
as  they  do  to  you.  What  would  you  think  of  me 
if  I  should  stand  here  and  declare  certain  feats  of 
engineering  to  be  foolish  and  impossible,  when  I  have 
not  the  slightest  knowledge  of  the  methods  by  which 
they  are  to  be  accomplished  or  the  principles  in- 
volved? ' 

"  Of  course  I  saw  the  point  of  his  argument,  but 
I  was  not  ready  to  give  in,  so  I  simply  said :  '  Well, 
I  think  we  are  all  entitled  to  our  own  opinions.  I  am 
much  obliged  for  your  advice,  even  though  I  do  not 
take  it.' 

"  We  shook  hands  and  parted ;  but  from  that  time 
I  could  not  forget  my  friend's  words  nor  his  healthy 
appearance.  If  he  could  think  himself  well,  why 
could  not  I?  This,  I  supposed,  was  the  teaching  of 
the  book,  and  I  decided  that  I  would  adopt  the  plan. 
I  would  use  what  I  supposed  was  Christian  Science, 
and  employ  all  the  will  power  I  had,  in  refusing  to 
be  sick.  I  would  say  I  was  well,  no  matter  how  sick 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       169 

I  really  was.  I  had  lost  faith  in  medicine  anyway, 
and  this  looked  as  good  as  anything  else. 

"  I  began  work  on  the  big  engineering  job,  and 
also  on  the  job  of  thinking  myself  well,  —  in  the  latter 
case  without  the  slightest  guide.  The  result  was  that 
I  steadily  grew  worse,  and  finally  had  to  quit  my 
office.  *  There,'  I  thought  to  myself,  '  I  knew  there 
was  nothing  in  Christian  Science.' 

"  Nor  was  there  anything  in  that  which  I  at  the 
time  ignorantly  thought  was  Christian  Science,  and 
what  a  whole  lot  of  people  are  thinking  it  is  to-day. 
But  one  night  I  chanced,  in  a  short  walk,  —  I  could 
not  walk  far,  —  to  pass  a  Christian  Science  church. 
Curiosity  attracted  me  within.  It  was  Wednesday 
evening.  As  a  boy,  I  usually  attended  Wednesday 
evening  prayer  meetings,  and  ordinarily  there  would 
be  present  out  of  a  church  membership  of  several 
hundred  possibly  forty  or  fifty.  Judge  of  my  sur- 
prise, therefore,  upon  entering  the  church,  to  find  it 
crowded  with  at  least  twelve  hundred  people.  The 
congregation  was  singing  the  last  verse  of  a  hymn 
as  I  entered,  and  as  I  was  shown  to  a  seat  I  caught 
these  words: 

« « Take  then  the  charmed  rod, 
Thou  art  not  error's  thrall. 
Thou  hast  the  gift  from  God  — 
Dominion  over  alL' 

"  The  Bible  reading  was  along  the  same  line,  and 
then  the  reader  announced  correlative  passages  from 
the  very  book  I  had  refused  to  read.  The  selections 


fitted  the  hymn,  and  told  why  man  had  dominion  over 
all ;  namely,  because  he  was  made  in  the  image  and 
likeness  of  God,  Spirit,  and  was  therefore  a  spiritual 
and  not  a  material  being.  The  teaching  was  so  dif- 
ferent from  anything  I  had  ever  imagined  that  I 
immediately  became  greatly  interested. 

"  The  reading  was  followed  by  silent  prayer  and 
the  audible  repetition  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  by  the 
vast  congregation.  It  was  the  only  prayer  of  the 
evening;  but  the  half-hour  which  followed  was  a 
season  of  testimonies  in  which  many  told  of  their 
healing  from  sickness  and  sin  in  answer  to  prayer. 
Then  I  saw  the  reason  for  the  great  attendance  and 
interest.  This  was  an  answer-to-prayer  meeting, 
not  a  meeting  where  long  prayers  were  made  with 
never  an  expectation  of  an  answer. 

"  One  testimony  particularly  impressed  me  because 
I  had  thought  that  possibly  I  was  coming  to  the 
same  condition.  A  woman  testified  that  she  had  been 
given  up  to  die  with  a  cancer  of  the  stomach.  Two 
physicians  —  one  of  whom  had  been  doctoring  her 
for  four  years,  the  last  four  months  of  which  time 
she  had  been  in  bed  —  had  given  her  three  days  to 
live,  not  longer.  For  a  week  she  had  been  unable 
to  keep  as  much  as  a  teaspoonful  of  water  on  hei 
stomach.  Her  family  asked  her  physician  if  there 
would  be  any  objection  to  her  trying  Christian  Sci- 
ence. Both  physicians  said  no.  One  said  that  it  was 
a  good  religion,  and,  as  she  was  bound  to  die  any- 
way, it  might  help  her  to  die  happy.  A  Christian 
Science  practitioner  was  summoned,  and  immediately 
she  began  to  recover.  In  a  week  she  was  up  and 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       171 

eating  everything.  In  exactly  four  weeks  to  the  day 
from  the  time  the  practitioner  was  called,  she  was 
in  this  church,  sixty  miles  from  her  home,  giving  her 
testimony. 

"  Before  the  meeting  was  over  I  discovered  what 
a  fool  I  had  been.  When  I  began  the  great  engi- 
neering work  I  had  on  hand,  I  knew  thoroughly  the 
principle  involved.  At  hand  I  had  text-books  and 
books  of  reference  which  I  consulted  continually. 
But  when  I  undertook  the  job  of  healing  myself 
through  what  I  supposed  was  Christian  Science,  I 
had  not  even  the  slightest  idea  of  the  Principle  it 
involved.  I  had  never  studied  the  text-book,  and  had 
not  even  turned  to  my  book  of  reference  —  the  Bible 
—  because  I  felt  that  it  was  a  closed  book  to  me. 

"  When  the  meeting  was  over  I  followed  the  crowd 
out  into  the  lobby.  They  were  the  happiest,  healthi- 
est looking  lot  of  people  I  had  ever  met.  The  stran- 
gers were  easily  recognizable  because  of  the  contrast 
in  their  appearance.  A  member  of  the  church  ap- 
proached me  and  extended  a  greeting.  I  told  him 
as  little  about  my  condition  as  I  could,  but  he  knew 
without  my  telling.  He  had  been  through  the  same 
experience  and  he  told  me  that  very  many  of  the 
members  of  the  church  were  persons  who  had  been 
gjiven  up  to  die  by  the  physicians.  I  would  not  have 
believed  it  half  an  hour  before.  Now  I  could  see  it 
was  the  truth.  They  all  had  the  same  look  that  was 
on  my  friend's  face.  They  had  found  something, 
and  were  full  of  gratitude  to  God,  who  had  healed 
them,  to  Jesus  Christ,  who  had  demonstrated  the  way, 
and  to  Mrs.  Eddy,  who  had  discovered  the  scientific 


172        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

rule  of  healing  and  written  it  down  in  words  that 
all  could  understand.  They  wanted  to  help  me,  and 
it  was  suggested  that  I  have  a  practitioner;  but  I 
decided  to  first  read  the  book. 

"  Am  I  tiring  you  ?  "  asked  Paul,  noting  the  some- 
what tense  expression  on  the  faces  of  his  listeners. 

"  Not  at  all,"  answered  Prince  Sindhu,  "  only  we 
are  anxious  to  know  just  what  this  understanding 
is  that  healed  all  these  people." 

"  Simply  the  truth  which  Jesus  taught  and  which 
this  book  makes  plain.  And  that  is,  that  man,  the 
spiritual  man,  made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God,  can  neither  sin,  suffer  nor  die.  It  is  not  an 
easy  thing  to  realize.  It  might  be  if  we  had  not 
already  come  to  believe  something  else,  namely,  that 
God  is  in  the  image  of  mortal  man  —  the  fleshly  man. 
In  other  words,  mortal  man  looks  at  his  material 
body  and  thinks  that  God  must  look  like  it,  when  the 
Bible  plainly  states  that  God  is  Spirit;  that  God 
is  Love.  We  now  find  it  harder  to  unlearn  material 
untruth  than  we  do  to  perceive,  through  Divine 
Science,  the  spiritual  facts  of  being,  —  that  all  real- 
ity, everything  in  God's  creation,  must  of  necessity 
be  spiritual,  because  of  the  very  nature  of  its 
source. 

"  But  to  continue.  I  bought  the  book  at  the 
church  that  night  and  hastened  to  my  room.  It  was 
a  cool  autumn  night,  and  I  turned  on  the  light  and 
sat  down,  thinking  that  I  could  read  the  book 
through  in  three  or  four  hours.  At  midnight  I  had 
read  but  one  chapter,  that  on  Prayer.  But  I  had 
reread  it  half  a  dozen  times.  That  very  night  I 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       173 

found  that  *  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures  '  was  a  text-book  —  not  a  book  simply 
to  be  read  in  a  casual  manner ;  a  book  to  be  studied 
just  as  I  had  studied  my  books  on  engineering.  I 
found  that  it  was  a  book  that  taught  of  the  Science 
of  being.  I  found  that  it  was  a  book,  which  taught 
that  of  a  truth,  '  we  live  and  move  and  have  our 
being  '  in  God.  I  discovered  that  it  was,  indeed,  a 
Key  to  the  Scriptures,  and  I  hunted  up  my  Bible, 
which  I  had  almost  forgotten. 

"  In  the  light  of  this  wonderful  book,  I  read  pas- 
sages in  the  Bible  which  had  before  seemed  full  of 
vain  promises.  In  the  realization  of  this  new  and 
inspiring  truth,  I  found  that  the  promises  were  real. 
I  learned  in  a  few  weeks'  reading  that  God  is  divine 
Principle,  which  can  be  used  with  just  as  scientific 
a  certainty  as  can  my  rules  on  engineering.  With 
the  understanding  of  what  I  had  now  learned,  I  was 
able  to  know  why  I  need  not  be  sick,  and  in  less  than 
a  week  of  reading  I  was  a  well  man.  The  reading 
of  the  book  had  healed  me.  Are  you  surprised,"  he 
asked  pointedly,  "  that  from  that  time  on  I  made  the 
book  my  daily  companion,  and  endeavored  to  learn 
all  contained  therein  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all,"  replied  Prince  Sindhu ;  "  nor  am 
I  surprised  that  you  were  healed  from  sickness  by 
this  means.  We  all  know  what  an  effect  the  mind 
has  on  the  body ;  and  if  the  book  convinced  you  that 
you  were  not  sick,  then  of  course  you  were  well." 

"  True,"  laughed  Paul,  "  but  what  kind  of  argu- 
ments, think  you,  a  book  would  have  to  use  to  con- 


174        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

vince  a  man  who  was  really  sick  that  such  was  not 
the  fact?" 

"  I  cannot  see,"  spoke  up  little  Mrs.  Johnsoi^ 
"  how  any  book  could  convince  you  that  you  were 
not  sick  when  you  were." 

The  others  all  indicated  by  their  attitude  that 
Mrs.  Johnson  had  voiced  their  sentiments.  Paul 
smiled  as  he  replied: 

"  It  could  not." 

"  Then  how  could  the  book  heal  you  ?  "  continued 
Mrs.  Johnson. 

"  By  showing  me  that  the  sense  of  sickness  and 
sin,  from  which  I  was  suffering,  was  unreal,  as  neither 
sickness  nor  sin  are  of  God." 

Elder  Meredith,  who  had  been  exhibiting  signs  of 
uneasiness  all  through  the  recital,  could  remain  quiet 
no  longer,  and,  rising  to  his  feet,  exclaimed  vehe- 
mently : 

"  This  is  blasphemous !  If  sickness  and  sin  are 
unreal,  as  you  would  have  us  believe,  why  did  God 
send  His  son  Jesus  Christ  to  suffer  for  our  sins?  " 

"  That  by  proving  their  unreality  in  his  daily  life 
and  actions,  he  might  free  us  from  their  seeming 
power.  That  by  destroying  sickness  and  sin,  he 
might  show  the  world  that  they  were  not  of  God,  — 
for  if  God  had  made  them  He  would  not  have  sent 
His  son  to  destroy  them ;  neither  could  any  one  else 
destroy  the  things  which  God  had  made.  Jesus  fully 
understood  this  when  he  said :  '  Think  not  I  am  come 
to  destroy  the  law  ...  I  am  not  come  to  destroy, 
but  to  fulfil.'  God's  laws  are  not  laws  of  sin,  sick- 
ness and  death,  but  those  of  Life,  Truth  and  Love; 


PAUL    GIVES    HIS    TESTIMONY       175 

and  these  were  the  laws  Jesus  came  to  fulfil,  and  did 
fulfil." 

"  Now  that  you  have  denied  the  reality  of  sick- 
ness and  sin,"  continued  Elder  Meredith,  "  I  sup- 
pose the  next  thing  you  will  attempt  to  deny  is  the 
reality  of  death  ?  " 

"  I  do,"  said  Paul.  "  From  a  divinely  scientific 
standpoint  there  is  no  death;  because  man,  made  in 
the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  can  no  more  know 
death  than  can  God,  in  whose  image  and  likeness  he 
is  made,  and  who  is  Life  itself.  Jesus  demonstrated 
this  by  raising  Lazarus  and  the  widow's  son,  and 
at  last  by  his  own  resurrection.  Jesus  said :  *  He 
that  believeth  on  the  son  '  —  the  Christ,  Truth  — 
*  hath  everlasting  life.'  Not  shall  have,  but  hath." 

"  And  do  you  expect  to  overcome  death  ?  "  asked 
Prince  Sindhu. 

"  We  have  not,  as  yet,  grasped  the  full  import  of 
the  truth;  but  when  we  do,  Prince  Sindhu,  I  fully 
believe  we  shall  be  able  to  prove  the  words  of  Jesus, 
when  he  said :  '  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.'  Just  in  proportion  as 
I  have  come  to  know  God,  that  is,  to  apprehend  Him 
as  infinite  Spirit,  Mind,  Principle,  Life,  Truth,  Love, 
in  that  degree  I  have  been  able  to  demonstrate  His 
presence  and  power. 

"  If  you  wish,  I  will  tell  you  of  the  incident  which 
most  strengthened  my  faith  and  enlarged  my  under- 
standing. The  faith  which  enables  any  one  to  heal 
the  sick  or  to  raise  the  dead  must  be  the  faith  which 
comes  with  and  from  the  understanding  of  God." 


---  '. 


Heaftfc  wiA  Ker  to  Or 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED      177 

that  man  is  made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  such  a 
God  as  this,  and  that  man  can  by  no  means  be  sepa- 
rated from  God,  his  Father  and  protector,  how  can  I 
need  or  have  any  other  guide?  I  cannot!  I  have 
not !  And  by  daily  proving  the  little  I  have  learned, 
I  am  coming  to  lose  my  sense  of  any  power  apart 
from  God,  good;  all  belief  in  the  seeming  reality  of 
evil,  error. 

"  But  at  the  time  when  this  incident  happened,  I 
had  not  yet  reached  this  condition  of  thought.  I  had 
learned  much,  but  my  understanding  was  limited  and 
my  faith  likewise,  —  for  I  want  to  reiterate  to  all 
here  assembled  that  our  faith  is  exactly  in  proportion 
to  our  understanding.  We  may  have  a  blind  faith 
in  some  unknown  principle,  because  we  believe  in  the 
truthfulness  of  some  person  who  claims  to  have 
proven  it;  but  we  never  acquire  the  faith  to  enable 
us  to  use  this  principle  ourselves,  until  we  under- 
stand how  it  is  to  be  applied.  Even  a  child  has  not 
faith  enough  in  the  simple  truth  that  three  times 
three  are  nine,  to  so  much  as  divide  his  marbles  by 
it,  until  he  has  come  to  prove  and  understand  it. 

"  This  was  my  mental  conditon  when  I  was  en- 
gaged to  go  to  Egypt  five  years  ago  to  undertake 
some  work  in  connection  with  the  building  of  the 
great  dam  across  the  river  Nile.  My  understanding 
of  the  divine  Principle,  God,  was  limited,  although 
I  was  beginning  to  realize  what  it  means  to  know 
God.  I  had  begun  to  understand  that  *  Thou  shalt 
have  no  other  gods  before  me '  meant  that  we  should 
have  no  other  God  but  Spirit,  Mind,  Life,  Truth, 
Love,  and  that  matter  was  but  a  mortal  concept.  I 


178         PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

was  also  striving  daily  to  reflect  this  Mind  by  being 
patient,  loving,  kind,  and  meek.  I  was  trying  to  live 
up  to  the  Golden  Rule  and  to  love  my  neighbor  as 
myself;  and  I  had  already  discovered  that  the  only 
scientific  way  in  which  this  great  command  could  be 
obeyed  v  as  to  know  that  there  was  but  one  Mind,  and 
that  all  men  must  reflect  it,  else  there  would  be  minds 
many  and  gods  many,  with  consequent  strift  and  dis- 
cord. 

"  Packing  my  belongings  and  providing  myself 
with  an  abundance  of  good  literature  to  supplement 
my  reading  of  the  Bible  and  the  text-book,  I  set  sail 
from  Philadelphia  for  Egypt  in  a  small  steamer 
which  was  carrying  material  to  Alexandria,  and  was 
to  make  the  trip  part  way  up  the  Nile.  We  en- 
countered rough  weather  from  the  start ;  but  ab- 
sorbed with  my  studies  and  happy  in  my  growing 
understanding  of  God,  it  did  not  disturb  me,  nor 
would  I  have  had  a  single  misgiving  as  to  the  out- 
come of  the  voyage,  had  I  not  discovered  that  of  all 
the  men  on  board  I  seemed  to  be  the  only  one  who 
was  even  trying  to  lead  a  wholesome  life. 

"  Such  an  utter  disregard  for  everything  good  I 
had  never  seen.  I  was  not  greatly  surprised  to  find 
the  sailors  an  ungodly  lot,  but  when  I  heard  the 
officers  cursing  the  men,  the  weather,  and  even  the 
Almighty  himself,  and  when  I  saw  the  wicked  acts 
which  they  committed  daily,  I  could  but  tremble  when 
I  remembered  that  *  God  is  just.' 

"  At  the  close  of  a  sultry  day,  when  the  mental 
atmosphere  had  been  even  more  depressing  than  the 
weather,  we  were  suddenly  caught  in  the  embrace  of 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED      179 

a  terrible  hurricane.  It  was  as  though  the  whole 
fury  of  mortal  mind  had  been  turned  loose  to  destroy 
its  own  creation.  For  many  days  we  were  carried 
along  by  the  unreasoning  power  of  the  storm,  and 
"'•hen  at  last  it  subsided  and  we  were  able  to  take  a 
reckoning,  we  found  ourselves  away  out  of  out 
course.  Some  of  the  crew  had  been  swept  overboard 
and  the  ship  was  a  water-logged  wreck. 

"  The  captain  reached  the  conclusion  that  it  would 
not  only  be  impossible  to  navigate  the  vessel  into 
port,  but  that  it  might  speedily  founder,  and  he 
therefore  decided  to  abandon  it  and  gave  the  order 
to  clear  away  the  boats.  While  they  were  being  pro- 
visioned, I  began  to  revolve  in  my  thought  where  my 
safety  lay.  It  was  very  plain  that  from  a  human 
standpoint  the  ship  was  in  a  most  dangerous  condi- 
tion, and  that  there  was  little  chance  of  being  rescued 
if  I  remained  aboard.  But  I  clearly  realized  that  if 
I  were  to  prove  the  strength  of  God's  protecting 
power  as  I  had  begun  to  understand  it,  I  could  do  it 
much  better  alone  on  a  disabled  vessel  than  if  I  risked 
my  fortune  with  these  vicious  and  ungodly  men.  I 
therefore  decided  to  commit  my  way  unto  the  Lord 
and  look  to  Him  alone  for  safety  and  succor.  Ac- 
cordingly, when  the  captain  ordered  me  to  take  my 
place  in  one  of  the  two  boats  in  which  the  crew 
were  embarking,  I  refused,  and  told  him  that  I  pre- 
ferred to  take  my  chance  of  rescue  on  the  wreck.  He 
cursed  me  for  an  obstinate  fool  and  declared  that  I 
was  committing  suicide;  but  beyond  the  fact  that  1 
did  not  agree  with  him,  he  appeared  to  care  little 
what  became  of  me. 


"  They  finally  got  away  and  passed  out  of  sight 
to  the  northeastward,  expecting  as  they  told  me  to 
reach  the  Canary  isles  by  holding  that  course. 
When  I  was  thus  left  alone,  I  took  out  my  Bible  and 
text-book  and  began  to  work.  The  fear  as  to  the 
wisdom  of  my  act  in  remaining  on  the  wreck,  which 
had  possessed  me  when  the  crew  was  there,  was  soon 
dispelled,  and  I  realized  the  presence  of  the  Supreme 
Being  —  the  infinite  God,  good,  as  never  before. 

"  As  the  hours  passed,  every  sense  of  oppression 
left  me  and  I  began  to  understand  the  real  happiness 
of  being  alone  with  God.  Never  had  my  physical 
senses  given  me  so  little  concern.  I  looked  about 
the  ship  and  succeeded  in  finding  an  abundance  of 
food.  I  also  found,  locked  in  one  of  the  cabins,  a 
collie  dog  that  I  had  supposed  was  washed  over- 
board during  the  storm.  His  piteous  whines  gave 
place  to  exuberant  joy  on  being  delivered,  and  he 
was  my  devoted  friend  and  constant  companion  not 
only  during  my  stay  on  the  vessel  but  for  many 
months  thereafter.  When  darkness  came  on  and  I 
found  myself  alone  with  the  stars,  my  heart  was  filled 
with  an  inexpressible  sense  of  the  greatness  and 
majesty  of  God,  and  as  I  paced  the  deck  hour  after 
hour,  I  gradually  gained  an  exultant  realization  of 
the  reality  of  that  spiritual  universe  which  reflects 
the  inexhaustible  ideas  of  infinite  Mind.  I  noted 
with  the  greatest  interest  that  the  Southern  Cross, 
upon  whose  splendors  I  had  never  looked  before,  was 
visible  some  distance  above  the  horizon,  and  I  then 
knew  that  the  storm  had  carried  the  vessel  a  long 
way  toward  the  equator,  and  as  the  days  and  nights 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED      181 

wore  on  I  was  made  sure  that  the  ship  was  still  drift- 
ing in  the  same  direction  by  the  fact  that  this  glori- 
ous constellation  steadily  gained  in  ascension. 

"  My  circumstances,  together  with  the  entire  com- 
mittal of  my  life  and  safety  to  the  divine  protection, 
led  me  to  spend  the  bulk  of  my  time  both  night  and 
day  in  the  endeavor  to  realize  man's  unity  with  God, 
—  to  know  my  freedom,  my  sovereignty  over  all 
material  conditions  by  virtue  of  my  apprehension  of 
divine  Truth,  my  entire  reliance  upon  God.  I  be- 
gan to  discern  what  Jesus  meant  when  he  said, 
*  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see 
God ; '  and  a  sense  of  thankfulness  came  over  me  that 
I  had  begun  to  see  God  and  thus  prove  that  I  was 
becoming  purer  in  heart,  in  thought.  I  began  to 
feel  a  consciousness  of  spiritual  power.  I  began  to 
realize  the  kingdom  of  heaven  within  me. 

"  My  entire  escape  from  all  sense  of  fear  and 
anxiety  was  a  relatively  new  experience,  and  it 
brought  me  satisfying  proof  that  the  apprehension 
of  divine  Truth  doth  indeed  make  free  in  fulfilment 
of  Jesus'  promise.  * 

"  Despite  the  fact,  as  I  perceived,  that  the  vessel 
was  slowly  filling  with  water,  I  could  sing  and  enter 
into  the  playful  spirit  of  my  little  Scotch  friend,  as 
though  I  were  removed  from  all  danger  and  uncer- 
tainty as  to  the  future. 

"  Several  times  I  discerned  a  sail  on  the  distant 
horizon,  but  it  was  evident  that  my  drifting  habita- 
tion was  not  seen,  and  nothing  of  importance  oc- 
curred to  vary  my  experience  until  one  evening  near 
the  close  of  the  third  week  of  my  solitary  travel, 


182        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

when  I  felt  sure  that  I  sighted  land  to  the  eastward, 
and  my  confidence  was  the  more  established  when  in 
the  early  twilight  a  gull  appeared  upon  the  scene  and 
circled  inquiringly  about  the  vessel.  I  slept  but  little 
if  any  that  night,  and  to  my  joy,  and  wonderment  as 
well,  a  coast  line  was  distinctly  visible  in  the  morning 
light,  and  ere  noon  the  vessel  grounded  on  a  bar 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  shore.  The  water 
was  quite  smooth,  and  being  a  good  swimmer,  I  de- 
cided first  to  swim  ashore  and  reconnoiter,  and  then 
return  to  the  wreck  for  such  things  as  I  might  need. 
I  felt  that  my  safety  was  assured  and  realized  with 
the  Psalmist :  *  Because  thou  hast  made  the  Lord, 
which  is  my  refuge,  even  the  Most  High,  thy  habita- 
tion, there  shall  no  evil  befall  thee.' 

"  Thinking  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  have 
the  dog  with  me,  I  tried  to  urge  him  overboard,  but 
he  refused  to  go,  and  when  I  attempted  to  throw  him 
over  he  showed  fight.  Concluding  that  I  would  make 
the  trip  without  him  I  was  on  the  eve  of  leaping  into 
the  water,  but  he  acted  so  strangely  that  I  delayed, 
and  as  I  stood  there  irresolute  I  caught  the  glint  of 
a  white  belly  under  the  bow  of  the  boat.  It  was  a 
shark.  While  I  looked  another  appeared,  and  within 
a  few  minutes  I  saw  half  a  dozen  or  more.  I  sat 
down  on  the  capstan,  wondering  what  to  do  next, 
when  the  dog  came  and  sat  down  beside  me  and 
wagged  his  tail.  My  respect  for  his  intelligence  had 
greatly  increased  and  I  said  to  him :  — 

"  *  How  did  you  know  it,  old  fellow?  How  did  you 
know  there  was  danger  in  that  water  any  better  than 
I?  Where  is  my  boasted  knowledge,  seeing  that  I 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED      183 

do  not  know  as  much  as  an  animal  which  is  supposed 
to  be  greatly  my  inferior?  ' 

"  I  was  unable  to  answer  my  own  question  satis- 
factorily, and  so  was  brought  face  to  face  with  a 
problem  which,  as  it  seemed,  I  must  solve  before  I 
could  go  a  step  farther.  If  man  is  made  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God,  I  thought,  he  certainly  ought 
to  have  a  more  reliable  and  commanding  sense  than 
a  dog;  and  then  I  saw  that  it  was  the  dog  that  was 
wrong,  because  he  was  even  less  spiritual  than  I.  He 
discerned  the  seeming  danger,  because  he  was  reflect- 
ing more  fear  than  I.  I  also  saw  clearly  that  my 
safety  lay  in  becoming  more  spiritual.  Could  I  but 
realize  man's  true  spiritual  selfhood  —  man's  di- 
vinely bestowed  sonship  and  power  —  there  was  no 
reason  why  I  should  not  be  just  as  safe  among  the 
sharks  as  was  Daniel  among  the  lions.  The  dog  was 
being  governed  by  mortal  mind,  which  is  not  a  law 
maker,  and  is  unable  to  distinguish  between  truth 
and  error.  His  sense  dictated  that  the  fish  had 
power  to  injure  man,  when  I  should  have  known  that 
God  gave  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea  as  well 
as  over  the  beast  of  the  fields  and  the  fowls  of  the  air. 

"  This  lesson  brought  me  to  a  point  where  I  could 
see  the  absolute  necessity  of  striving  more  earnestly 
for  the  one  Mind,  the  Mind  which  is  omnipotent 
and  omniscient ;  that  Mind  which  Jesus  demonstrated 
in  breaking  nearly  every  so-called  law  of  nature,  the 
material  universe.  I  was  not,  however,  called  upon 
to  put  my  slowly  developing  faith  to  the  test,  since 
the  ebbing  tide  soon  left  us  in  such  shallow  water 
that  I  was  out  of  danger. 


184        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Providing  myself  with  some  canned  food,  I  easilj 
gained  the  shore,  and  on  finding  a  path  a  little  way 
back  from  the  water  had  not  followed  it  far  before 
I  met  two  black  men  who  had  on  some  remnants  of 
civilized  clothing.  They  seemed  no  less  kindly  than 
surprised,  and  I  soon  found  that  one  of  them  had 
the  command  of  a  few  words  of  French,  of  which  I 
had  considerable  knowledge.  When  I  showed  them  the 
stranded  vessel  and  made  them  understand  that  I  was 
the  only  voyager,  they  wanted  me  to  go  with  them, 
which  I  did. 

"  They  led  the  way  to  a  native  village  two  or  three 
miles  down  the  coast,  and  presented  me  to  the  head 
man  or  chief,  who  proved  to  be  half  civilized  and  to 
be  able  to  make  himself  understood  in  broken  French. 
The  discovery  that  the  plunder  of  a  vessel  was  avail- 
able made  my  coming  a  matter  of  great  importance 
to  the  villagers,  and,  withal,  of  great  rejoicing,  and 
within  an  hour  after  my  arrival  a  half  dozen  native 
canoes  filled  with  black  and  enthusiastic  men,  women 
nnd  children  were  ploughing  their  way  toward  the 
wreck  as  fast  as  brawny  arms  could  impel  them.  I 
need  not  dwell  on  my  stay  in  the  village  for  sev- 
eral weeks  before  a  coasting  steamer  came  along 
by  which  I  reached  Lisbon  and  thence  ultimately 
my  destination,  nor  upon  the  kindness  which  I  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  these  gentle-minded  people. 
I  had  drifted  upon  the  shore  of  Senegambia,  and 
while  the  natives  had  come  to  have  some  easily  ex- 
plained prejudices  against  the  French,  settled 
farther  down  the  coast,  my  inoffensiveness  and  es- 
pecially the  booty  with  which  they  enriched  them- 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED      185 

selves  from  the  wreck  ingratiated  me  into  the  good 
will  of  all,  so  that  I  received  nothing  but  kindness  at 
their  hands;  this  I  was  able  to  reciprocate  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  there  were  not  a  few  sick  folk  among 
them.  Their  simple  thought  and  ready  responsive- 
ness to  what  I  was  able  to  teach  them  of  Truth 
opened  the  way  for  the  healing  of  many  and  in- 
creased as  a  result  my  reliance  upon  divine  Mind. 
Every  day  I  grew  into  the  realization  that  man  — 
the  real  man  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God  —  is 
spiritual  and  not  material. 

"  The  greatest  demonstration  of  all  my  experi- 
ence as  I  then  thought  (although  I  now  see  that 
one  demonstration  of  the  truth  is  just  as  great  as 
another)  was  made  while  I  was  living  in  this  native 
village.  There  is  in  this  particular  region  a  variety 
of  poisonous  snake  called  the  ogweet,  the  bite  of 
which  is  considered  absolutely  fatal.  So  far  as  I 
could  learn  from  the  natives,  no  man  had  ever  been 
bitten  by  the  ogweet  and  lived,  death  usually  result- 
ing in  a  few  hours.  The  native  belief  is  that  if  this 
does  not  happen,  death  will  certainly  end  the  vic- 
tim's sufferings  when  the  sun  goes  down. 

"  During  the  time  that  I  had  been  in  the  village, 
I  had  been  instrumental  in  healing  a  number  of  the 
villagers  who  were  afflicted  with  some  sort  of  fever, 
probably  dengue.  At  the  same  time  I  had  tried  to 
instil  into  their  minds  some  idea  of  God  and  His 
Christ.  The  healing  had  caused  them  to  listen  to  me 
and  had  inspired  them  with  much  faith.  I  had  been 
asked  if  my  God  could  cure  the  bite  of  the  ogweet 
and  I  had  answered  yes,  because  Je&us  had  declared 


186        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

that  those  who  believed  should  handle  serpents.  I 
had  likewise  thought  much  for  myself  and  tried  to 
realize  the  truth  respecting  Truth's  power  over  every 
*  deadly  thing.'  Though  this  particular  serpent 
stood  for  the  most  aggressive  form  of  error,  its  evil 
effects  should  certainly  be  overcome  by  Truth,  just 
as  any  other  error  is  overcome.  I  had  begun  to  work 
against  the  error,  therefore,  while  it  was  yet  day, 
so  that  when  the  night  of  doubt  and  fear  should 
come,  as  come  it  did,  I  should  be  prepared  for  it. 

"  I  was  away  from  the  village  one  day  assisting 
in  gathering  mushrooms.  On  turning  over  the  trunk 
of  a  fallen  tree,  I  uncovered  the  hiding-place  of  the 
serpent,  and  in  an  instant  it  had  fastened  itself  upon 
my  hand.  I  shook  it  off  and  dispatched  it  with  a 
stick,  but  the  cry  that  all  uttered  confirmed  my  fear 
that  it  was  the  dreaded  ogweet. 

"  The  childlike  faith  of  the  natives,  that  I  would 
be  able  to  overcome  the  poison  as  easily  as  I  had  the 
fever,  was  wonderful ;  but  I  realized  that  it  must  be 
the  faith  that  comes  with  a  scientific  understanding 
of  divine  Principle  which  could  break  the  mortal  law 
and  hold  me  perfect  in  God's  love. 

"  My  hand  began  to  swell  and  I  closed  my  eyes  to 
shut  out  the  picture,  but  the  work  I  had  done  in  ad- 
vance gave  me  the  victory.  As  I  raised  my  heart  in 
prayer,  there  came  to  me  a  still  clearer  sense  of  the 
ever-presence  and  omnipotence  of  God,  and  my  fear 
left  me  completely.  It  was  as  though  a  great  weight 
had  suddenly  been  removed.  Then  came  a  spiritual 
uplifting,  such  as  I  think  the  great  apostle  must 
have  experienced  when  he  saw  the  light  on  the  road 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED      187 

to  Damascus,  and  I  knew  then  that  the  power  of  the 
serpent's  venom  had  been  destroyed. 

"  From  that  moment  the  healing  began.  The  hand 
and  arm  had  become  black  and  inflamed  and  I  felt  a 
great  nausea;  but  it  never  grew  any  worse.  I  re- 
turned to  the  village,  and  taking  my  Bible  I  read  the 
passages  which  reveal  God  as  the  life  of  man,  and 
with  such  promises  as  these  to  sustain  me  I  was  able 
to  say  with  David :  '  O  Lord,  thou  hast  brought  up 
my  soul  [my  sense]  from  the  grave.'  And  my  heart 
went  out  in  gratitude  to  the  woman  who  had  been 
pure  enough  in  spirit  thus  to  see  God  and  reveal 
Him  to  this  day  and  age. 

"  The  following  morning  I  was  entirely  free  from 
the  effects  of  the  serpent's  poison,  nor  have  I  ever 
felt  any  evil  results  therefrom.  I  now  ask  of  you  as 
truthful  men  and  women,  after  hearing  all  these 
facts,  if  you  can  see  any  reason  why  I  should  not 
believe  sufficiently  in  the  power  of  God's  word  to  fol- 
low Jesus'  command  to  preach  the  gospel  and  heal 
the  sick  whenever  I  am  able  ?  " 

For  a  moment  there  was  no  reply ;  then  Mr.  John- 
son asked :  "  May  you  not  have  been  mistaken  about 
the  venomous  character  of  the  snake?  " 

There  was  the  suspicion  of  a  smile  about  the  corner 
of  Paul's  mouth  as  he  replied :  "  Possibly ;  and, 
furthermore,  I  am  not  asking  any  of  you  even  to 
believe  this  incident,  or  the  story  of  my  healing  from 
other  illness.  The  things  you  have  seen  with  your 
eyes,  these  are  the  works  by  which  I  ask  to  be 
judged.  If  my  works  are  £ood,  they  must  be  of  God, 
for  *  men  do  not  gather  figs  from  thistles :  neither 


188        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

doth  a  good  tree  bring  forth  evil  fruit.'  The  Master 
said :  '  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.' ' 

Again  there  was  silence,  which  was  finally  broken 
by  Prince  Sindhu.  "  How  may  we  also  learn  to  do 
these  things  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Where  may  we  also  get 
the  understanding?  " 

"  From  the  two  books  which  I  have  mentioned  so 
often.  I  know  no  other  place." 

"  And  so,"  exclaimed  Elder  Meredith  with  some 
show  of  anger,  "  you  place  these  two  books  —  the 
Bible  and  this  woman's  book  —  upon  an  equality !  " 

Paul  shook  his  head  as  he  replied  slowly :  "  Not  at 
all !  But  you  have  had  the  Bible  for  years.  You 
have  studied  it  carefully  and  prayerfully,  as  you 
thought,  and  yet  you  have  been  unable  to  believe 
sufficiently  in  God  or  His  Son  to  do  the  works  which 
Jesus  commanded  you  to  do.  You  have  not  even 
learned  how  to  pray  aright,  for,  continually,  *  ye 
ask  and  receive  not,  because  ye  ask  amiss.' ' 

The  clergyman's  face  flushed,  but  he  had  no  chance 
to  reply,  as  Prince  Sindhu  arose  from  his  seat,  re- 
marking :  "  We  have  to  thank  you,  Mr.  Anthony,  for 
a  most  enjoyable  evening.  I  also  desire  to  thank  you 
for  the  very  frank  explanation  of  the  things  you  have 
done  and  your  reasons  therefor.  We  have  another 
hard  day  before  us,  so  I  will  bid  you  all  a  very  good 
night." 

Sindhu's  words  were  equivalent  to  a  dismissal,  and 
the  visitors  withdrew  to  their  own  tents,  each  with 
feelings  which  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  express. 

During  the  recital  of  Paul's  story,  Elizabeth,  in 
particular,  had  remained  as  one  spellbound,  drinking 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED      189 

in  every  detail  and  striving  her  utmost  to  grasp  the 
import  of  this  new  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures, 
the  meaning  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus  and  his  apos- 
tles. At  times  she  seemed  to  catch  faint  glimpses  of 
the  truth,  and  then  again  she  failed  entirely  to  un- 
derstand the  new  tongue  in  which  Paul  was  speaking. 
When  he  closed  his  narrative  with  the  statement  that 
during  all  the  years  in  which  the  clergyman  had  been 
studying  the  Scriptures,  he  had  failed  to  learn  how 
to  pray  aright,  she  realized  that  this  applied  not  only 
to  the  clergyman,  but  to  herself  and  most  others, 
at  least  in  so  far  as  she  had  been  able  to  learn  from 
her  talks  with  many  people  who  were  leading  Chris- 
tian lives  to  the  best  of  their  understanding. 

How  well  she  remembered  the  request  of  the  dis- 
ciples :  "  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray."  Surely,  she  knew 
well  the  prayer  that  our  Lord  had  taught  them. 
Could  it  be  possible  that  she  had  never  understood 
this,  or  was  it  simply  that  she  had  not  been  following 
Jesus'  injunction  that  "  what  things  soever  ye  desire, 
when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye 
shall  have  them." 

How  was  it  possible  to  have  such  faith  as  this? 
She  had  prayed  many  times,  seemingly  believing  that 
her  prayers  would  be  answered;  and  yet,  because 
they  were  not,  it  must  be  that  she  lacked  faith.  Then 
came  to  her  Paul's  statement  that  the  faith  which 
brought  results  came  only  through  understanding. 
How  greatly  she  desired  this  understanding!  She 
would  have  a  talk  with  Paul  and  learn  where  she 
might  obtain  a  copy  of  the  "  text-book,"  no  matter 
what  Elder  Meredith  or  any  one  else  might  say. 


190       PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Being  a  keen  observer,  Elder  Meredith  could  not 
fail  to  see  the  favorable  impression  that  Paul's  words 
had  made  upon  Elizabeth  as  well  as  upon  Prince 
Sindhu  and  his  sister.  As  far  as  the  two  latter  were 
concerned  he  felt  that  it  was  not  his  affair,  but  as 
Elizabeth's  spiritual  adviser  he  did  feel  it  incumbent 
upon  him  to  warn  her  again  against  a  teaching  so 
opposed  to  all  his  preconceived  ideas,  a  teaching 
which  seemed  to  him  so  fallacious.  They  were  no 
sooner  in  their  tent,  therefore,  than  he  took  occasion 
to  warn  his  co-workers  against  the  "  seductive  soph- 
istry "  of  Paul's  ideas,  and  against  Paul  as  a  dan- 
gerous man,  "  whose  magnetic  personality  might  lead 
them  after  false  gods." 

"  It  might  be  possible,"  said  Elder  Meredith,  "  to 
believe  in  the  unreality  of  sickness,  because  any  one 
can  see  that  half  —  yes,  more  than  half  —  of  our 
diseases  are  purely  imaginary ;  but  to  assert  the 
unreality  of  the  sin  and  evil  which  are  everywhere 
manifest,  and  for  which  Jesus  died  on  the  cross  that 
you  and  I  might  be  saved,  is  blasphemous ! " 

"  And  still,"  ventured  little  Mrs.  Johnson,  in  a 
timid  and  hesitating  manner,  "  to  the  man  who  was 
sick  of  the  palsy  Jesus  said :  '  Thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee.'  If  it  were  Christ's  death  and  not  his  life  that 
redeemed  us,  how  could  he  say  that  ?  " 

Elder  Meredith  looked  at  her  in  surprise,  and  her 
husband  said :  "  Hush,  Lucy !  " 

"  Well,  I  should  like  to  know,"  she  persisted. 

"  I  think  that  Jesus'  own  words  explain  that,"  said 
Elder  Meredith.  "  He  said :  *  That  ye  may  know 
that  the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive 


PAUL'S    TESTIMONY    CONTINUED    191 

sins.'  If  there  were  no  sins,  how  could  he  forgive 
them  ?  "  And  Elder  Meredith  looked  at  her  as  though 
his  question  were  unanswerable. 

"  And  if  there  were  no  sickness,  how  could  he  heal 
it  ?  "  retorted  Mrs.  Johnson. 

"  I  did  not  seem  to  get  just  that  idea  from  Mr. 
Anthony's  talk,"  ventured  Elizabeth.  "  I  understand 
that  what  he  means  by  *  unreality  '  is  this :  Because 
God  made  everything  that  was  made,  anything  that 
seems  to  be  made  by  some  other  power  must  be  un- 
real, although  to  us  it  may  seem  r^al.  He  does  not 
call  sickness  real,  because  he  does  not  believe  that 
God  made  sickness.  This  seems  reasonable  to  me, 
because  if  God  had  made  people  sick,  His  Son  would 
not  —  I  might  almost  have  said  could  not  have 
healed  them.  Certainly  no  one  else  could.  And  if 
God  makes  men  sick  to-day,  it  is  just  as  certain  that 
no  doctor  or  any  other  human  power  can  heal  them. 
Really,  if  I  believed  that  God  made  me  sick,  I  should 
think  it  wrong  to  call  a  physician  to  thwart  God's 
will !  " 

Mrs.  Johnson  nodded  her  head  emphatically. 
"  That  is  just  the  way  it  seems  to  me." 

"  I  am  not  prepared  just  now,"  said  Elder  Mere- 
dith, "  to  discuss  the  question  of  the  divine  healing 
of  sickness ;  but  of  the  reality  of  sin  I  am  firmly 
convinced." 

"  And  do  you  really  think  that  God  made  sin  ?  " 
asked  Mrs.  Johnson  innocently.  "  Because  if  sin  is 
real,  and  God  made  everything  that  was  made,  He 
must  have  made  sin,  too ;  and  if  everything  He  made 
was  good,  then  sin  must  be  good." 


192        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Elder  Meredith  cleared  his  throat  to  give  himself 
-time  to  think;  but  Elizabeth,  without  allowing  him 
time  to  answer,  continued  to  speak  along  the  line 
of  her  own  thought : 

"  Do  you  not  remember,"  she  said,  "  that  when 
they  rebuked  Jesus  for  saying,  *  Thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee,'  he  replied,  *  Whether  is  easier,  to  say,  Thy 
sins  be  forgiven  thee;  or  to  say,  Arise,  and  walk? 
But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  (then  saith  he  to  the 
sick  of  the  palsy,)  Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go 
unto  thine  house.'  Now  it  is  not  quite  plain  to  me 
whether  the  forgiving  of  the  man's  sins  cured  his 
palsy,  or  whether  curing  his  palsy  forgave  his  sin, 
the  palsy  being  the  sin;  but  whichever  way  it  was, 
the  same  act  or  thought  on  the  part  of  Christ  did 
both.  This  would  indicate  to  me  that  sickness  and 
sin  are  both  healed  by  the  same  divine  power  and  in 
the  same  manner." 

There  was  no  reply  to  this  explanation,  and  for 
several  minutes  all  seemed  lost  in  thought.  Then 
Elizabeth  broke  the  silence,  saying  as  though  to  her- 
self: 

"  And  neither  one  nor  the  other,  neither  the  palsy 
nor  the  sin,  seem  to  have  appeared  very  real  to 
Jesus." 

"  Well,"  declared  Mrs.  Johnson,  "  I  am  sure  I 
do  not  know,  and  I'  do  not  want  to  learn  anything 
which  Elder  Meredith  does  not  think  I  ought ;  but  I 
would  like  to  do  the  things  Mr.  Anthony  does."  She 
arose  from  her  chair  with  a  yawn.  "  Riding  on  an 
elephant  all  day  is  real,  anyway,  and  I  am  tired  out." 


CHAPTER    XII 

THE    SICK    RECOVER 

WHEN  Paul  awoke  the  next  morning,  he  perceived 
that  something  unusual  had  occurred  during  the 
night.  Even  before  he  had  finished  his  early  morning 
reading  and  emerged  from  his  tent,  he  realized  an 
exceptional  stir;  and  when  he  finally  came  outside 
and  surveyed  the  camp  he  was  surprised  to  find  that 
everything  but  his  tent  and  that  of  the  other  foreign- 
ers had  disappeared.  Early  as  it  was,  Prince  Sindhu 
was  engaged  in  giving  orders,  and  from  a  distance 
Paul  could  see  that  he  was  imbued  with  an  unusual 
energy.  The  very  atmosphere  of  the  caravan  had 
changed  during  the  night  from  the  quiet  of  an  ordi- 
nary travelling  company  to  the  forceful  activity  of 
a  military  train. 

Paul  expected  to  find  that  the  unusual  stir  was  due 
to  the  arrival  of  the  escort  from  Annakan,  but  he 
looked  in  vain  for  any  indication  of  such  an  arrival. 
Even  Sofia,  who  greeted  him  as  he  emerged  from  his 
tent,  seemed  to  have  changed.  Her  usual  sprightly 
manner  had  become  more  sedate,  though  none  the  less 
cordial,  and  there  was  about  her  a  suggestion  of  sup- 
pressed excitement,  which  caused  Paul  to  remark  as 
he  returned  her  greeting : 

108 


194        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  There  is  something  in  the  mountains,  Princess, 
which  seems  to  have  infused  every  one  with  exceptional 
energy  this  morning.  I  think  it  must  be  the  sense  of 
freedom  they  bring." 

His  quick  discernment  of  changed  conditions  gave 
her  a  little  thrill  of  pleasure  as  she  replied  with  a 
smile : 

"  You  are  right.  There  is  something  in  the  moun- 
tains that  has  aroused  us  all  to  action,  but  it  is  not 
what  you  suggest.  It  is  the  wild  tribesmen  from  over 
the  Thibetan  frontier.  A  courier  arrived  from  Anna- 
kan  two  hours  ago  with  the  information  that  there 
had  been  another  outbreak  and  that  several  raids  had 
already  been  made  into  our  territory." 

Paul  smiled  as  he  replied :  "  Then  it  is  the  spirit 
of  freedom  after  all." 

"  I  suppose  you  might  look  at  it  in  that  light," 
said  Sofia  grimly,  "  but  it  is  freedom  that  has  too 
much  the  air  of  lawlessness  to  suit  me.  At  any  rate, 
Sindhu  has  already  sent  a  message  to  Myang-Nee  for 
all  the  force  possible  to  hurry  forward,  and  has  or- 
dered a  telegram  sent  from  there  to  Mandalay,  asking 
the  British  to  rush  troops  at  once." 

"  Is  the  outbreak,  then,  so  serious  ?  I  had  sup- 
posed that  these  raids  of  the  hill  tribes  were  small 
affairs." 

"  So  they  are,  ordinarily,"  explained  Sofia,  "  but 
from  all  that  can  be  learned  at  Annakan,  this  uprising 
has  been  encouraged  by  the  government  of  Thibet. 
You  know  the  English  have  threatened  to  advance 
upon  Lhassa,  and  this  action  seems  to  be  in  retalia- 
tion. This  makes  the  uprising  of  much  more  conse- 


THE    SICK    RECOVER  195> 

quence.  Unless  the  disturbances  are  speedily  quieted, 
it  may  develop  into  actual  war." 

Prince  Sindhu  approached  while  she  was  yet  speak- 
ing. "  Good  morning,  Mr.  Anthony,"  he  exclaimed 
in  greeting.  "  We  have  received  unpleasant  news 
during  the  night,  but  I  trust  that  it  will  not  prove 
of  such  a  nature  as  to  cause  you  or  our  other  guests 
any  annoyance." 

The  other  members  of  the  party  had  by  this  time 
made  their  appearance  and  Prince  Sindhu  continued : 

"  I  was  just  telling  Mr.  Anthony  that  we  had  re- 
ceived information  of  an  outbreak  of  the  Tartar 
tribesmen  along  our  border.  I  shall  be  obliged  to 
personally  hurry  forward  to  Annakan,  and  possibly 
still  farther  north,  but  this  need  not  interrupt  the 
arrangements  already  made  for  your  journey." 

"  You  do  not  think  that  we  are  in  any  danger,  do 
you,  Prince  Sindhu  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Johnson  with  con- 
siderable alarm. 

"  None  at  all.  The  trouble  has  occurred  at  least 
a  hundred  miles  from  here." 

"  Have  the  British  been  apprised  of  the  trouble  ?  " 
inquired  Elder  Meredith,  in  a  tone  suggesting  that 
they  should  be  if  they  had  not. 

Sindhu  and  Sofia  exchanged  hasty  glances,  indic- 
ative of  surprise  at  the  question,  and  Sindhu  started 
to  make  a  sharp  rejoinder,  but  at  a  look  from  Sofia 
he  said  quietly : 

"  Everything  has  been  done,  sir,  that  the  occasion 
demands."  Then  turning  to  Paul,  "  I  shall  have  to 
leave  you  now.  Captain  Shway  and  his  troop  will 


196        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

remain  with  you,  in  charge  of  the  caravan  and  to 
attend  to  your  comfort  and  safety." 

"  Our  safety  is  already  assured,"  exclaimed  Paul 
with  a  suggestive  smile. 

"  A-me !  "  exclaimed  Sindhu  with  a  laugh.  "  In 
the  excitement  of  the  occasion  I  had  forgotten.  You 
must  pardon  my  oversight." 

"  You  really  must,  Mr.  Anthony,"  said  Sofia  with 
the  deepest  gravity,  "  for  I  assure  you  he  is  greatly 
interested  in  your  God  as  you  explain  Him." 

Paul  laughed  heartily  at  her  evident  concern  for 
his  feelings.  "  Considering  his  early  training,  the 
oversight  is  more  than  pardonable.  It  is  quite  re- 
markable to  me  that  he  understood  my  meaning  at 
all." 

"  I  am  not  so  dull  as  that,"  was  Sindhu's  laughing 
rejoinder;  "but  I  must  be  hastening  away.  I  see 
that  the  elephants  are  waiting.  With  you  in  the  cara- 
van, Mr.  Anthony,  I  shall  feel  doubly  assured  of  its 
safety." 

He  shook  hands  with  the  members  of  the  party  on 
parting.  As  he  came  to  Elizabeth  he  said  in  a  low 
voice :  "  I  shall  see  you  in  Annakan  in  a  day  or  two 
at  most.  In  the  meantime  I  trust  that  I  shall  not  be 
forgotten." 

"  Your  kindness  makes  that  impossible." 

He  bent  over  and  touched  her  hand  with  his  lips. 
"  The  kindness  is  all  yours,"  he  said. 

Then  hastily  to  all :  "  I  have  been  obliged  to  make 
changes  in  the  arrangement  of  travel,  owing  to  the 
fact  that  I  must  take  part  of  the  elephants;  but  I 
trust  you  will  all  be  quite  comfortable,  notwithstand- 


THE    SICK    RECOVER  197 

ing.  Father,  do  not  get  into  any  religious  discussion 
with  Mr.  Anthony." 

Laughing  at  what  he  considered  a  joke,  Sindhu 
mounted  his  elephant  and  followed  by  three  others  en- 
tirely freed  from  all  camp  equipment,  he  quickly  dis- 
appeared in  the  jungle. 

The  reassignment  of  the  party,  due  to  the  taking 
of  four  of  the  elephants,  resulted  in  the  placing  of 
three  persons  on  each  of  the  remaining  elephants, 
with  the  exception  of  that  ridden  by  Sofia,  to  which 
Elizabeth  alone  was  added.  This  unusual  mark  of 
distinction  was  quickly  recognized  by  the  princess 
and  the  military  escort,  but  to  the  others  it  seemed 
simply  an  arrangement  made  necessary  by  the  ex- 
igencies of  the  occasion.  Mrs.  Johnson  was  placed 
on  the  elephant  with  her  husband  and  Elder  Mere- 
dith, while  Mr.  Lombard  was  added  to  the  howdah  of 
Paul  and  Oo  Toung-lay. 

"  I  was  afraid,"  said  Mr.  Lombard,  "  that  I  might 
be  turned  over  to  the  tender  mercies  of  Elder  Mere- 
dith. He  and  I  do  not  seem  to  get  along  very  well 
together." 

"  Too  much  discussion  ?  "  inquired  Paul. 

"  No ;   but  he  is  unreasonable." 

"  I  have  discovered,"  said  Paul  as  the  elephant 
moved  off  with  that  rolling  motion  that  almost  makes 
one  seasick,  "  that  any  discussion  which  'does  not  tend 
to  bring  persons  into  the  same  way  of  thinking  is 
worse  than  useless.  The  two  topics  which  almost 
invariably  result  in  this  kind  of  discussion  are  politics 
and  religion.  On  these  two  topics,  neither  disputant 
has  the  slightest  intention  of  being  convinced,  and 


198        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

each,  as  a  rule,  simply  tries  to  convict  the  other  of 
error;  not  to  convert  him  to  the  right." 

"  Would  you  not  then  try  to  convince  a  man  of 
the  error  of  his  way,  or  of  the  things  you  believe  are 
right  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Lombard. 

"  The  honest  seeker  after  truth,"  replied  Paul,  "  is 
entitled  to  all  the  information  you  can  give  him.  If 
he  asks,  tell  him  what  you  believe,  and  if  possible 
prove  to  him  the  correctness  of  your  position,  but  do 
not  be  drawn  into  a  discussion  of  either  his,  or  your 
own  belief.  If  you  can  prove  to  him  that  you  are 
right,  he  will  see  that  he  is  wrong." 

"  But  suppose  that  he  is  right  and  you  are 
wrong?  " 

"  My  rule  is  never  to  try  to  convince  a  man  of 
anything  which  I  have  not  proven  to  be  true  and 
which  I  cannot  prove  again." 

"  But,"  insisted  Mr.  Lombard,  "  if  you  saw  a  man 
acting  in  direct  opposition  to  what  you  knew  to  be 
the  truth,  would  you  not  offer  to  show  him  his  error?  " 

"  Most  certainly,"  was  Paul's  emphatic  reply ; 
'"  but  if  he  spurned  my  offer ;  if  instead  of  showing 
a  desire  to  know  the  truth,  he  should  insist  that  he 
was  right  and  try  to  convince  me  of  it,  I  should  cease 
my  argument.  I  would  first,  however,  listen  patiently 
to  what  he  had  to  say,  but  if  I  were  still  convinced 
that  he  was  in  error,  I  would  turn  away,  assuring 
him  that  whenever  he  wanted  to  learn  the  truth  I 
should  be  glad  to  tell  it  to  him.  I  should  also  try  to 
realize  the  truth  more  than  ever,  but  I  would  then  and 
there  cease  all  argument.  I  should  VJIQW  that  when 
he  was  ready  to  learn  the  truth  —  vhich  would  be  the 


SICK    RECOVER  199 

minute  he  began  to  recognize  his  own  error  —  he 
would  come  and  ask  to  be  taught.  He  would  then  be 
receptive  and  the  seed  would  be  sown  in  good  ground. 
To  offer  a  truth  to  a  man  who  is  so  blinded  by  his 
own  prejudices  that  he  not  only  refuses  to  accept  it, 
but  also  refuses  to  honestly  investigate  it  after  it  has 
been  proven  by  many,  is  simply  casting  your  pearls 
of  thought  before  the  swinish  element  of  the  human 
mind.  Invariably  it  will  turn  and  rend  you." 

Oo  Toung-lay  puffed  at  his  cheroot,  an  interested 
listener.  Occasionally,  however,  he  passed  his  hand 
over  his  forehead  and  seemed  considerably  ill  at 
ease. 

"  If  you  believe  in  never  inflicting  your  ideas  on 
people  who  do  not  ask  for  them,"  declared  Mr.  Lom- 
bard dryly,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "  you  will  never 
become  a  missionary." 

He  chuckled  at  his  implied  thrust  at  Elder  Mere- 
dith, but  Paul  replied  with  a  suggestive  smile: 

"  I  am  not  so  sure.  I  seem  to  have  a  faculty  for 
causing  people  to  ask  questions." 

Oo  Toung-lay  suddenly  threw  away  his  cheroot 
and  uttered  an  exclamation  of  pain.  His  compan- 
ions noted  that  his  face  was  very  pale  and  that  he 
was  greatly  distressed. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Lombard  in 
the  greatest  concern  over  the  condition  of  his  aged 
friend. 

Oo  Toung-lay  placed  his  hand  on  his  stomach  and 
groaned.  "  I  think  it  is  something  I  have  eaten,"  he 
said. 

Mr.  Lombard  ordered  the  mahout  to  stop  the  ele- 


200       PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

phant,  and  Paul  asked:  "  Can  I  be  of  any  service  to 
you?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  not.    I  wish  that  I  had  a  doctor." 

"  The  Rev.  Johnson  has  a  medicine-box,"  sug- 
gested Mr.  Lombard.  "  Perhaps  he  can  give  you 
something  that  will  ease  you." 

The  entire  caravan  had  now  come  to  a  halt  and 
Captain  Shway  rode  forward  to  ascertain  the  trouble. 
Mr.  Lombard  called  out  that  Oo  Toung-lay  had  been 
attacked  with  a  colic  and  asked  if  any  one  had  any 
medicine.  Mr.  Johnson  jumped  down  from  the  ele- 
phant and  hastened  forward,  taking  from  his  pocket 
a  flask  of  brandy  and  a  small  medicine-case.  The  old 
gentleman  seemed  to  be  getting  rapidly  worse,  and 
Mr.  Lombard  suggested  that  he  be  taken  from  the 
elephant  and  allowed  to  lie  down.  Several  horsemen 
gathered  around  and  lifted  him  to  the  ground,  while 
willing  hands  quickly  spread  a  couch  of  palms. 

By  the  time  he  had  been  placed  on  the  temporary 
couch,  Sofia  was  at  his  side  and  Mr.  Johnson  had 
prepared  a  decoction  of  brandy  and  camphor.  Dhu- 
leep  Mingh  had  also  approached,  and  of  Paul,  who 
was  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  group,  asked: 

'*  Why  does  not  the  Sahib  ask  his  God  to  heal 
him?" 

"  I  offered  to  help  him,  but  he  said  he  wanted  a 
doctor.  It  would  not  be  right  for  me  to  force  my 
thought  upon  him." 

"  Sahib,  perhaps  he  does  not  know  what  you  mean. 
Perhaps  he  does  not  know  you  can  help  him." 

Dhuleep  Mingh's  words  came  as  a  sort  of  rebuke 
to  Paul  for  not  being  more  explicit,  and  he  took  * 


THE    SICK    RECOVER  201 

step  forward  just  in  time  to  catch  a  questioning 
glance  from  Elizabeth,  who  was  bending  over  Oo 
Toung-lay  and  fanning  him  with  a  palm  leaf. 

"  Perhaps  I  did  not  make  myself  plain,"  thought 
Paul.  "  Perhaps  he  did  not  realize  the  kind  of  help 
I  offered." 

Sofia  was  holding  the  little  glass  to  her  father's 
lips,  but  he  seemed  unable  to  swallow  the  medicine. 

"  Can  you  not  drink  it,  father?  "    she  asked. 

The  sick  man  groaned,  placed  his  hand  to  his 
throat  and  shook  his  head.  Sofia  looked  at  him  help- 
lessly. 

"  I  think  it  must  be  a  case  of  some  kind  of  ptomaine 
poisoning,"  said  Mr.  Johnson.  "  It  acts  that  way." 

"A-me!"  exclaimed  Sofia.  "What  shall  I  do? 
I  wish  Sindhu  were  here." 

"  Perhaps  Mr.  Anthony  can  help  him,"  suggested 
Elizabeth. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Anthony,  can  you?  "  and  Sofia  looked 
up  at  him  with  her  eyes  full  of  tears. 

"  I  think  so,"  replied  Paul,  "  and  I  offered  to  ;  but 
he  preferred  to  trust  to  medicine." 

"  This  is  nonsense ! "  exclaimed  Elder  Meredith. 
"  If  he  has  been  poisoned,  he  must  have  an  emetic." 

"  He  seems  unable  to  swallow,"  replied  Mr.  John- 
son. 

Sofia  leaned  over  her  father.  "  Do  you  not  want 
Mr.  Anthony  to  help  you  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Do  you 
not  want  him  to  make  you  well?  " 

The  sick  man's  face  changed  to  a  look  of  surprise. 
As  the  force  of  Sofia's  question  dawned  upon  him,  he 
smiled  in  spite  of  his  pain  and  nodded  his  head. 


S02       PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Anthony !  "  said  Sofia.  "  He  does  want 
you  to  cure  him." 

In  an  instant  Paul  was  on  his  knees  beside  the  suf- 
fering man. 

"  Please  leave  us  alone  as  much  as  possible,"  he 
said  earnestly,  as  he  bowed  his  head  in  prayer. 

All  drew  back,  Elder  Meredith  shaking  his  head 
and  declaring  it  must  be  wrong. 

"  It  is  flying  in  the  face  of  Providence,"  he  mut- 
tered, "  not  to  use  the  medicine  which  nature  and 
science  have  provided.  If  he  dies,  his  blood  will  be 
upon  that  man's  head." 

"  The  apostles  used  no  medicine,"  said  Mrs.  John- 
son ;  "  and  then  remember  the  lame  boy." 

"  That  was  an  altogether  different  case,  Mrs. 
Johnson.  That  was  a  case  of  long  standing,  where 
there  was  no  immediate  danger.  This  is  an  acute 
attack  that  should  have  at  least  the  very  best  we  have 
to  offer.  To  allow  an  old  man,  with  no  knowledge 
of  God  or  the  hereafter,  to  die  like  this  is  an  outrage. 
I  declare  I  will  not  be  a  party  to  it ! " 

Elder  Meredith  turned  squarely  about  and  started 
back.  Mr.  Johnson  detained  him.  "  There  is  abso- 
lutely nothing  we  can  do.  He  cannot  swallow  the 
medicine;  and  even  if  he  could  I  do  not  know  that 
it  is  that  which  is  needed.  I  prefer  to  let  some  one 
else  take  the  responsibility.  If  God  cannot  cure  him, 
there  is  nothing  here  that  can." 

"God!"  fairly  shouted  Elder  Meredith.  "Do 
you  call  the  hypnotism  taught  by  that  woman,  God? 
Why,  I  have  been  told  that  she  denies  the  very  exist- 


THE    SICK    RECOVER  203 

ence  of  the  God  of  the  Bible  and  has  substituted  one 
of  her  own." 

"  That  is  not  what  Mr.  Anthony  told  us  last 
night,"  ventured  Mrs.  Johnson,  who  was  clinging  to 
her  husband's  arm.  "  He  told  us  that  her  book 
taught  that  God  was  infinite  Life,  Truth  and  Love. 
That  sounds  a  good  deal  like  the  teaching  of  John, 
who  declares  that  '  God  is  love.' ' 

"  This  man  has  you  all  hypnotized !  "  exclaimed 
Elder  Meredith  vehemently.  "  Never  in  my  life  have 
I  seen  such  a  manifest  work  of  the  devil !  Something 
should  be  done  to  stop  it ! " 

"I  do  not  feel  that  I  should  judge,"  said  Mr. 
Johnson.  "  I  prefer  to  say  in  the  words  of  the 
lawyer,  Gamaliel,  '  If  this  work  be  of  men,  it  will 
come  to  naught ;  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  over- 
throw it.'  " 

"  Well,"  declared  the  elder,  some  minutes  later, 
"  I  am  going  back  to  the  Princess  and  protest 
against  it.  I  am  going  to  place  myself  on  record 
in  case  anything  happens." 

He  stepped  forth  from  the  little  thicket  in  which 
they  had  been  talking  and  at  once  uttered  an  excla- 
mation of  surprise.  The  others  hastily  came  forward 
and  as  they  looked  toward  the  place  where  Oo  Toung- 
lay  had  been  lying,  they  were  astonished  to  see  the 
old  gentleman,  a  trifle  pale,  but  otherwise  all  right, 
standing  by  his  daughter's  side.  Mr.  Lombard  stood 
sear  rubbing  his  hands  joyfully,  while  Paul  was  or- 
dering the  elephant  driven  forward  so  they  might 
get  aboard  and  continue  their  journey. 

"  I  see  that  the  attack  was  not  as  severe  as  we 


204        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

thought,"  said  Elder  Meredith  as  he  approached  and 
gave  Paul  a  withering  glance.  "  I  am  glad  that  it 
has  passed." 

"  It  was  so  bad,  I  hope  I  will  never  have  another," 
replied  Oo  Toung-lay,  with  an  attempt  at  a  smile. 

"  It  was  so  bad,"  declared  Mr.  Lombard,  who  de- 
lighted in  contradicting  Elder  Meredith,  "  that  if  it 
had  not  been  for  Mr.  Anthony  this  would  have  been 
a  funeral  procession  from  here  on  instead  of  a  cara- 
van." 

Elizabeth  said  nothing,  but  the  look  of  disapproval 
which  she  gave  Elder  Meredith  caused  the  reverend 
gentleman  to  do  some  sober  thinking  for  a  few  min- 
utes. In  spite  of  this,  when  they  were  all  mounted 
and  again  on  their  way,  he  could  not  refrain  from 
saying  to  Mr.  Johnson :  "  I  suppose  you  will  all  look 
upon  this  as  another  marvellous  case  of  healing, 
when,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  evidently  but  a 
sharp  attack  of  colic.  Very  naturally,  it  passed  as 
quickly  as  it  came." 

For  some  time  Oo  Toung-lay  rode  in  silence.  As 
he  became  thoroughly  convinced,  however,  that  he 
was  entirely  free  from  the  acute  illness  with  which  he 
had  been  attacked,  he  exclaimed: 

"  Mr.  Lombard,  you  said  that  if  Mr.  Anthony  did 
not  inflict  his  opinions  upon  others,  he  would  never 
make  a  missionary.  You  are  wrong." 

Both  his  companions  looked  at  him  in  questioning 
surprise. 

"  How  so?  "  asked  Mr.  Lombard. 

"  This  was  the  best  missionary  work  that  I  have 
ever  seen  done.  I  am  convinced  that  there  is  a  God. 


THE    SICK    RECOVER  £05 

Whether  He  is  the  same  one  that  you  have  been  talk- 
ing to  me  about  all  these  years,  I  do  not  know;  for 
your  own  sake,  I  hope  He  is." 

Paul's  heart  gave  a  great  bound  as  he  replied, 
"  Do  not  doubt  it.  There  is  but  one  God,  and  Mr. 
Lombard  and  I  absolutely  agree  that  the  first  and 
greatest  commandment  is :  '  Thou  shalt  have  no  other 
gods  before  me.' ' 

Lombard  chuckled  to  himself,  a  habit  he  was  given 
to  indulging  in  when  greatly  pleased.  After  a  minute 
he  asked: 

"  And  what  do  you  think  this  first  commandment 
really  means,  Mr.  Anthony?  " 

"  It  means  that  I  must  have  no  mind,  life  or  intel- 
ligence apart  from  God  —  infinite  good ;  that  I  must 
recognize  no  power  apart  from  Spirit,  Truth  and 
Love.  It  also  seems  to  me,"  continued  Paul  earnestly, 
"  that  in  this  commandment  are  comprised  the  other 
nine." 

"  That  is  a  pretty  broad  statement,"  declared  Mr. 
Lombard,  "  although  I  believe  your  great  prophet 
made  a  similar  declaration.  However,  I  do  not  ex- 
actly see  it." 

"  It  is  very  plain  to  me,"  replied  Paul.  "  It  is  im- 
possible to  break  any  one  of  the  other  command- 
ments without  having  some  thought  apart  from  in- 
finite good.  The  mortal  mind  which  leads  you  to 
steal  or  kill  is  absolutely  not  in  harmony  with  divine 
Mind.  Any  and  every  impure  thought,  any  adulter- 
ation of  your  thought,  not  only  breaks  the  seventh 
commandment,  but,  because  it  is  at  variance  with 
good,  it  breaks  the  first. 


206        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Of  course  any  one  can  see,"  he  continued,  "  that 
breaking  the  second  commandment  breaks  the  first, 
but  no  more  so  than  does  the  taking  of  the  name  of 
God  in  vain  —  that  is,  in  professing  to  give  all  power 
to  God,  when  in  reality  we  give  equal  power  to  evil. 
Bearing  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor  —  that 
is  to  see  him  in  anything  other  than  the  image  and 
likeness  of  God,  Spirit,  in  whose  image  he  is  made  — 
breaks  both  the  ninth  and  first  commandments, 
because  it  gives  power  to  some  other  creator  than 
Spirit,  and  makes  another  god.  If  we  indulge  in 
covetousness,  thereby  breaking  the  tenth  command- 
ment, we  have  all  sorts  of  gods  other  than  that  in- 
finite Love  which,  John  tells  us,  is  God." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  ventured  Oo  Toung-lay,  who 
was  an  interested  listener,  "  that  the  interpretations 
you  have  given  to  your  ten  commandments  indicate 
that  you  consider  them  as  pertaining  to  spiritual 
rather  than  material  laws." 

"  There  are,  in  fact,  no  material  laws,"  declared 
Paul,  "  for  God  being  Spirit  and  God  being  All,  it 
follows  as  a  scientific  fact  that  all  laws  must  be 
spiritual.  Therefore  the  ten  commandments,  as  well 
as  the  ten  beatitudes  uttered  by  Jesus  in  his  Sermon 
on  the  Mount,  must  be  spiritually  understood." 

"  Let  us  take  for  example  the  command,  £  Thou 
shalt  not  kill.'  Wherein  lies  the  sin  ?  Most  certainly 
in  the  thought  that  impels  one  to  kill,  and  not  in  the 
material  act,  else  were  an  accidental  killing  just  as 
great  a  sin  as  a  deliberate  murder.  The  first  sin  in 
breaking  this  commandment,  however,  lies  in  the  fact 
that  we  not  only  desire  to  kill,  but  that  we  believe  it 


207 

is  possible  to  kill,  —  to  take  that  life,  which  God 
alone  creates.  It  is  this  thought  which  breaks  the 
first  commandment,  by  giving  power  to  what  we  term 
death  and  thereby  making  a  god  of  a  power  apart 
from  the  one  God,  who  is  all  Life,  Truth  and  Love. 
You  may  analyze  all  the  commandments,  and  you  will 
find  that,  when  all  is  said,  the  first  and  great  sin  con- 
sists in  breaking  the  first  commandment  and  thereby 
attributing  life  and  power  to  something  outside  of 
Spirit.  Our  greatest  idol  is  our  material  body.  Is 
not  that  about  what  you  think,  Mr.  Lombard?  " 

Mr.  Lombard  eyed  Paul  quizzically  several  mo- 
ments before  he  replied.  "  Do  you  think  it  is  ?  "  he 
finally  asked. 

"  It  certainly  is,"  said  Paul.  "  for  God,  the  God 
of  Israel,  is  Spirit  and  can  know  no  matter." 

"  You  seem  so  certain  of  my  belief,"  continued  Mr. 
Lombard,  "  that  I  expect  before  long  that  you  will 
tell  me  that  I  believe  Christ  has  already  come." 

"  If  you  will  read  the  Scriptures  in  the  light  of 
this  new  understanding,  I  am  sure  you  will  find  that 
you  do." 

Mr.  Lombard  leaned  forward  in  his  surprise  and 
looked  earnestly  into  Paul's  face  as  though  he  would 
probe  his  deepest  thought.  "  Are  you  talking  about 
the  Christ  prophesied  by  Isaiah?  "  he  finally  asked. 

"  I  mean  the  Christ  prophesied  by  all  the  prophets ; 
the  Christ  which  awakens  mortals  from  the  illusion 
of  life  in  matter;  which  destroys  all  belief  in  sin, 
sickness  and  death ;  the  Christ  which  shall  save  the 
world  from  its  own  false  beliefs,  and  which  is  being 
born  anew  into  the  world  to-day.  The  coming  of 


208        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Christ  is  the  manifestation,  in  individual  experience, 
of  the  relationship  of  man  to  God ;  it  is  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  truth  regarding  this  material  existence 
and  its  deceptions.  The  reading  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  ex- 
planation of  how  Christian  and  Jew  will  eventually 
find  themselves  believing  in  the  same  God,  the  same 
Christ,  will  make  plain  to  you  what  I  say." 

Mr.  Lombard  started  to  reply,  but  checked  himself. 
For  a  moment  he  was  lost  in  thought.  Then  he  again 
started  to  speak  and  again  did  not.  At  length,  sud- 
denly raising  his  head,  he  asked :  "  Would  you  mind 
letting  me  read  that  book  as  we  ride  along  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  was  the  reply. 

Paul  drew  the  little  volume  from  his  pocket  and 
Mr.  Lombard  was  soon  buried  in  its  contents ;  nor 
did  he  cease  its  perusal  till  the  fading  light  compelled 
him  to  desist. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

AN    EXCHANGE    OF    CONFIDENCES 

FOB  the  rest  of  the  day  the  caravan  pushed  rap- 
idly forward  in  the  hope  of  reaching  Annakan  be- 
fore dark;  but  the  delay,  caused  by  the  illness  of 
Oo  Toung-lay,  had  retarded  its  progress  and  it 
had  but  just  emerged  from  the  jungle,  and  was  still 
a  number  of  miles  from  its  destination,  when  the  sun 
sank  over  the  mountains.  From  the  top  of  a  some- 
what lofty  elevation  which  they  reached  just  before 
sunset,  the  distant  pinnacles  of  the  city  could  be  seen. 
It  could  also  be  seen  that  the  city  was  located  upon 
a  lofty  plateau  and  it  appeared  so  much  larger  than 
Elizabeth  had  anticipated  that  she  remarked  the  fact 
to  Sofia. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Sofia,  "  Annakan  is  considerably 
more  extended  than  its  population  would  indicate. 
And  it  is  much  more  solidly  built  than  the  ordinary 
Burmese  city." 

"  More  so  than  Rangoon  ?  "  asked  Elizabeth. 

"  Yes ;  it  is  more  like  Calcutta.  And,  besides, 
it  has  many  stone  residences  with  large  and  extensive 
grounds." 

"  What  is  that  broad,  white  road  leading  across 
the  plateau  ?  " 

200 


210        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  That  is  the  road  to  Myonk  and  Mandalay.  The 
railroad  now  extends  to  Myonk.  Most  of  our  sup- 
plies come  in  over  that  road." 

"  I  thought  Annakan  was  a  walled  town,"  said 
Elizabeth. 

"  And  so  it  is ;  but  you  cannot  see  the  wall  from 
here.  Those  little  towers  you  see  at  intervals  are  on 
the  walls." 

"  I  should  not  think  that  it  would  be  of  much  pro- 
tection, Princess." 

"  It  is  not  against  the  big  guns  of  the  British, 
and  the  wall  was  badly  damaged  during  the  war  with 
Thebaw,  when  the  British  drove  him  out.  It  is, 
however,  a  protection  from  the  hill  tribes,  —  such 
as  are  causing  the  trouble  now.  The  ordinary  raid 
of  hillmen,"  explained  Sofia,  "  is  solely  for  the  pur- 
pose of  plunder.  They  dash  down  upon  the  plateau 
and  drive  off  all  the  cattle  in  sight,  and,  if  possible, 
capture  some  rich  man  or  woman  and  hold  them  for 
ransom.  When  these  hillmen  are  discovered  to  be 
restless,  the  people  living  on  the  plain  flock  to  Anna- 
kan and  remain  within  the  gates  till  the  disturbances 
are  quelled." 

"  Why  do  you  not  keep  more  soldiers  on  the  fron- 
tier?" 

u  Bajipur  is  not  wealthy  and  is  unable  to  support 
a  great  army.  It  is  the  British  who  should  do  this." 

"  I  must  confess,"  said  Elizabeth,  "  that  I  have 
but  a  faint  idea  of  the  citv  where  I  expect  to  spend 
the  next  few  years  of  my  life.  We  simply  knew  that 
the  gospel  had  never  been  preached  here,  and  felt  that 
H  should  be." 


"  It  surely  is  strange  how  you  Christians  branch 
out.  From  what  Mr.  Anthony  said  last  night,  it 
seems  as  though  you  might  spend  your  time  more 
profitably  teaching  your  people  at  home  about  God. 
There  seems  to  be  a  great  lack  of  understanding  as 
to  what  your  God  really  is." 

Elizabeth  shook  her  head  sadly.  "  It  certainly 
does  look  that  way.  But  I  never  before  heard  any 
Christian  talk  like  Mr.  Anthony." 

"  Still  you  all  recognized  the  book  he  spoke  of, 
and  its  author." 

"  True,  but  I  never  knew  before  just  what  the  book 
was.  I  had  been  taught  to  believe  that  Christian 
Scientists  had  a  bible  of  their  own,  and  that  the  book 
he  spoke  of  was  that  bible." 

"  Evidently  you  had  been  misinformed." 

"  Evidently !  " 

"What  did  you  call  these  people?"  asked  Sofia. 

"  Christian  Scientists,  but  I  cannot  see  why." 

"  When  Mr.  Anthony  was  telling  me  about  heal- 
ing the  lame  boy,"  ventured  Sofia,  "  he  said  the  heal- 
ing was  Christian,  because  it  was  of  Christ,  and  that 
it  was  scientific  because  it  was  based  upon  a  Princi- 
ple and  rule  from  which  there  was  no  deviation.  I 
did  not  understand  exactly  what  he  meant,  but  this 
must  be  where  the  people  get  their  name." 

"  And  their  faith,  too,  if  they  understand  the 
principle,"  said  Elizabeth  more  to  herself  than  to 
Sofia.  But  Sofia  caught  the  words  through  the  gath- 
ering darkness  and  replied: 

"  I  should  suppose  so.  If  Christianity  is  scien- 
tific it  must  be  true."  Then  after  a  pause,  in  which 


212        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

she  was  evidently  trying  to  figure  it  out :  "  And  if 
it  is  true  it  must  be  scientific." 

"  I  do  not  see  that,"  said  Elizabeth.  "  Science 
is  something  you  can  prove,  like  mathematics." 

"Well,  cannot  you  prove  Christianity?  If  you 
cannot,  then  why  are  you  way  out  here  teaching  it? 
What  is  Christianity,  anyway?  " 

"  Christianity,"  replied  Elizabeth,  "  is  the  religion 
taught  by  Jesus  Christ;  the  religion  of  love.  He 
taught  us  to  love  man  and  God,  and  that  we  should 
then  have  eternal  life  and  happiness  in  heaven." 

"  How  do  you  know  it  is  true?  "  asked  Sofia. 

"  Jesus  proved  it  was  true  by  healing  the  sick, 
raising  the  dead,  and,  finally,  by  his  own  resurrec- 
tion after  he  had  suffered  and  died  on  the  cross  for 
our  sins.  He  then  told  his  followers  to  go  into  all 
the  world  and  preach  the  gospel." 

"  Did  he  not  tell  them  to  heal  the  sick  also  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  To  prove  that  you,  also,  are  teaching  the  truth, 
I  suppose?  " 

"  I  suppose  so,"  replied  Elizabeth. 

"  Then  there  must  be  some  principle  and  rule  to 
work  by ;  do  you  not  think  so  ?  "  asked  Sofia. 

"  It  looks  reasonable,  but  I  had  never  thought  of 
it  in  that  way." 

"  Evidently  Mr.  Anthony  has.  And  his  works 
seem  to  prove  the  truth  of  what  he  claims.  I  should 
say  the  healing  of  my  father  was  a  miracle." 

"  But  that  was  the  result  of  prayer  he  told  us." 

"  Could  you  have  prayed  my  father  well,  Bess  ?  " 

*'  I  am  afraid  not." 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES     213 

"  Perhaps  Mr.  Anthony  prays  scientifically,"  sug- 
gested Sofia.  "  He  told  me  that  all  Science  was  of 
God  •  that  all  Science  was  divine  —  was  spiritual." 

"  How  can  that  be,  Princess  ?  There  are  the  nat- 
ural sciences  that  teach  of  material  things." 

"  I  am  not  authority,"  laughed  Sofia,  "  but,  as  I 
come  to  think  of  it,  he  said  in  his  talk  that  all  wis- 
dom and  truth  were  of  God.  Now  as  all  science  is 
truth  as  well  as  knowledge,  if  all  truth  and  wisdom 
are  really  of  God,  then  all  science  is  of  God." 

Elizabeth  was  silent  for  some  minutes.  Suddenly 
she  asked :  "  Do  you  know  anything  about  chemis- 
try?" 

"  A  little." 

"  Then  you  know  that  it  is  a  chemically  scientific 
fact  that  HyO  stands  for  water.  That  means  that 
hydrogen  and  oxygen  joined  in  that  proportion  form 
water.  Would  you  call  that  fact  spiritual?  Would 
you  call  it  material  or  divine  science?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  much  about  your  God,"  was  Sofia's 
response,  "  but  if  you  believe  He  is  omniscient,  that 
is,  all  wisdom,  and  made  everything,  then  everything 
must  have  existed  in  His  mind  before  it  did  anywhere 
else.  Therefore,  the  fact  that  two  parts  of  hydrogen 
and  one  part  of  oxygen  make  water  must  belong  to 
divine  wisdom,  or  divine  science." 

"  Where  did  you  get  that  idea  of  God,  Princess  ?  " 

"  Is  not  that  what  you  told  me  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  I  do  not  think  that  I  meant  it  exactly 
like  that." 

"  I  am  only  repeating  what  I  hear.  Certainly  all 
knowledge  is  in  mind,  not  in  matter,  —  even  Sindhu 


214        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

would  tell  you  that,  and  he  is  a  great  materialist,  — 
and  just  as  certainly,  if  there  is  a  God,  He  must  be 
Mind,  Spirit,  Intelligence,  not  matter,  in  order  to  be 
present  everywhere,  and  to  control  all  things." 

Elizabeth  thought  to  herself :  "  Except  ye  become 
as  little  children  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  Was  it  possible  that  Sofia,  who  a  few 
weeks  ago  had  never  thought  about  God,  was  getting 
nearer  to  Him  than  she? 

"  Do  spirit  and  mind  mean  the  same  thing  to  you, 
Princess?  " 

"  Why,  yes  ;   do  they  not  to  you  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  believe  that  they  do.  I  have  always 
thought  of  spirit  as  something  like  vapor,  I  guess ; 
something  that  you  could  not  see  with  the  naked  eye. 
I  do  not  believe  that  I  have  ever  had  a  very  clear  idea 
of  spirit,  anyway." 

"  Well,  I  may  be  wrong.  Why  do  you  not  ask 
Mr.  Anthony?  I  think  that  he  could  tell  you." 

"  I  would  have  asked  him  a  lot  of  questions  before 
this,  only  I  could  not  very  well." 

Sofia  peered  through  the  darkness  to  see  if  she 
could  catch  a  glimpse  of  Elizabeth's  face,  but  the 
elephant  wobbled  so  she  could  not. 

"  Why  could  you  not  ask  him?  "  she  finally  asked. 
"  You  are  not  afraid  of  him,  are  you?  " 

"  Of  course  not ;  but  Elder  Meredith  thought  I 
had  better  not  talk  with  him  too  much." 

"  Did  he  think  you  might  fall  in  love  with  him  ?  " 

"  What  an  idea !  "  exclaimed  Elizabeth  half  indig- 
nantly, "  of  course  not !  " 

"  Of  course  you  might?  "  persisted  Sofia. 


AN  EXCHANGE   OF  CONFIDENCES    215 

"  Oh,  yes ;  of  course  I  might.  He  is  a  very  good 
man,  I  am  sure." 

"  And  very  handsome,  too." 

"  Yes,  and  handsome,  too,  Princess." 

"  But  you  have  not  fallen  in  love  with  him  ?  " 

Sofia  drew  closer  to  Elizabeth,  and  breathlessly 
awaited  her  reply. 

"  Of  course  not !  "  said  Elizabeth  with  decision. 
"  I  am  not  out  here  to  fall  in  love  with  any  man.  I 
am  out  here  to  teach  the  heathen." 

"  Oh !  "  exclaimed  Sofia,  with  a  sigh  of  relief.  "  I 
am  so  glad !  " 

"Glad  of  what?"  asked  Elizabeth,  in  some  sur- 
prise. "  Glad  that  I  am  not  here  to  fall  in  love,  or 
that  I  am  here  to  teach  the  heathen  ?  " 

"  Glad  that  you  are  not  to  fall  in  love,  to  be  sure," 
replied  Sofia,  with  a  merry  laugh  and  a  lighter  heart 
than  she  had  had  for  days.  "  I  am  not  anxious  that 
you  should  teach  the  heathen ;  the  heathen  seem  to 
me  to  be  doing  very  well.  But,  I  forgot!  I  was 
trying  to  find  out  why  Elder  Meredith  did  not  want 
you  to  talk  to  Mr.  Anthony." 

"  He  was  afraid  that  I  might  imbibe  some  of  his 
heretical  ideas." 

Again  Sofia  laughed  merrily  in  the  darkness. 
*'  Was  he  not  also  afraid  that  Sindhu  might  teach 
you  some  heresies  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no !     I  am  trying  to  teach  your  brother." 

"  Oh,  my !  "  exclaimed  Sofia.  "  And  was  he  will- 
ing to  listen  to  you  ?  " 

It  was  a  good  thing  for  Sofia  that  it  was  dark, 
or  her  face  would  have  betrayed  her.  She  had  learned 


216        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

only  too  well  how  willing  Sindhu  was  to  listen.  The 
darkness,  however,  hid  her  twinkling  eyes,  and  Eliz- 
abeth responded  gravely: 

"  Oh,  yes,  he  seems  quite  willing  to  listen." 

"  Suppose,  Bess,  that  he  was  like  Elder  Mere- 
dith, unwilling  to  hear  or  investigate  any  one  else's 
ideas ;  what  chance  would  you  ever  have  of  teaching 
him  what  you  call  the  truth  ?  " 

"  Not  much,"  laughed  Elizabeth,  who  could  not 
imagine  any  one  trying  to  convert  Elder  Meredith. 

"  Certainly  Elder  Meredith  ought  to  be  as  liberal 
as  a  couple  of  heathen  like  Sindhu  and  myself." 

"  But  all  heathen  are  not  like  you.  Most  of  them 
are  ignorant  and  see  only  the  images  they  worship. 
As  I  said  before,  they  do  not  see  the  ideas  back  of 
the  images." 

"Well,"  said  Sofia,  slowly,  "if  the  things  that 
Mr.  Anthony  told  us  last  night  are  true,  Elder  Mere- 
dith and  the  rest  of  you  are  just  about  as  far  from 
the  teachings  of  your  great  prophet  as  are  those 
who  see  in  the  images  of  Buddha  all  that  there  is  to 
love  and  venerate." 

Their  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  distant 
clatter  of  horses'  hoofs,  and  almost  before  they  real- 
ized it,  they  were  surrounded  by  a  large  body  of 
horsemen.  For  a  moment,  Elizabeth's  heart  almost 
ceased  to  beat,  believing  that  they  were  attacked  by 
Tartars,  but  she  quicky  realized,  from  the  shouts 
and  greetings,  that  the  horsemen  were  friends.  Hav- 
ing become  alarmed  at  their  delay  in  arriving,  and 
having  heard  that  a  body  of  hillmen  had  been  seen 
in  the  distance,  Sindhu  had  dispatched  a  couple  of 


AN  EXCHANGE  O*    COM /DANCES    217 

hundred  of  his  best  cavalry  to  locate  the  travellers 
and  bring  them  in. 

The  mahout  driving  Sofia's  elephant  came  to  a 
stop  and  Captain  Shway  rode  forward.  He  and  the 
captain  of  the  other  troop  exchanged  a  few  words, 
and  the  new  arrivals  hastily  turned  and  started  back 
toward  Annakan,  followed  by  the  caravan  at  a  much 
more  rapid  rate  of  speed  than  had  yet  been  attained. 

"  Something  unusual  seems  to  have  occurred,"  said 
Paul. 

"What  is  it,  Boh  Shway?"  called  Oo  Toung-lay 
as  the  captain  passed  them  on  the  way  back  to  his 
troop. 

"  A  large  band  of  yhe  enemy  were  reported  ap- 
proaching this  vicinity  just  before  dark,  and  his 
Highness  feared  they  r.iight  have  found  us." 

"  Nothing  serious,  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no.  Everything  is  quiet.  Prince  Sindhu 
has  sent  strong  bodies  of  troops  to  guard  all  the 
passes,  and  a  telegram  from  Mandalay  announces 
that  British  troops  will  start  north  in  the  morning. 
His  Highness's  return  ftas  restored  confidence,  and 
the  city  is  quiet.  But  see!  yonder  are  the  lights  of 
Annakan." 


CHAPTER    XIV 

MOTTNG  THAN'S  CONSPIRACY 

IN  spite  of  the  favorable  news  received  the  night 
of  the  arrival  in  Annakan,  the  trouble  with  the  Tar- 
tars proved  quite  as  serious  as  was  at  first  antici- 
pated. Before  it  was  finally  ended,  the  English  had 
to  make  good  their  threat  to  march  upon  Lhassa. 
That  is  an  event  which  has  nothing  to  do  with  this 
story,  other  than  to  indicate  the  seriousness  of  the 
disturbance,  which  eventually  spread  all  along  the 
border  of  Northern  India,  even  west  of  the  Brahma- 
putra. So  serious  was  it,  that  for  the  next  few 
weeks  many  events  occurred  which  would  have  been 
impossible  under  ordinary  conditions. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  our  travellers  at  the  capital, 
they  had  been  at  once  conducted  to  the  royal  palace, 
a  large  stone  structure  built  well  up  the  side  of  the 
mountain  which  forms  the  western  boundary  of  the 
city.  It  is  not  a  very  formidable  appearing  for- 
tress by  daylight,  but,  as  one  enters  its  gates  at  night, 
it  has  the  appearance  of  one  of  those  feudal  castles 
so  frequently  seen  along  the  Rhine,  and  which  are 
so  familiar  to  European  tourists.  The  wide  entrance, 
lighted  with  huge  lamps  of  European  make,  con- 
trasts strangely  with  the  Oriental  architecture  and 

218 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        219 

decorations.  Torches  would  seem  more  in  keeping 
with  the  general  effect,  but  coal  oil  has  modernized 
Upper  Burma  to  the  extent  of  substituting  lamps  of 
modern  make  for  the  ancient  methods  of  lighting. 
Indeed,  as  the  caravan  passed  up  the  principal  thor- 
oughfare, Paul  noticed  that  Annakan  was  lighted 
with  coal-oil  street  lamps. 

But  the  lamps  were  the  only  things  that  reminded 
the  travellers  of  the  West ;  everything  else  was  Ori- 
ental. True,  the  city  is  more  substantially  built  than 
any  other  Burmese  city,  but  this  is  because  it  is  built 
on  a  mountain,  and  rock  is  the  most  convenient  build- 
ing material.  The  palace  is  a  large,  rambling  af- 
fair, composed  of  a  main  structure  and  three  wings. 
The  main  building  is  on  the  west  and  backs  up 
sharply  against  the  mountain.  The  wings  are  on  the 
north,  east  and  south.  Through  the  eastern  wing 
is  the  main  entrance  from  the  city.  Its  great  doors 
look  down  upon  the  principal  square,  and  a  long 
flight  of  stone  steps,  extending  the  whole  width  of 
the  front,  lead  down  to  the  street.  All  strangers  and 
officials  enter  through  this  main  gateway,  which  leads 
into  a  great  rotunda.  Wide  halls  lead  back  to  the 
main  structure,  where  dwells  the  royal  family,  and  to 
the  other  wings.  There  is  a  private  family  entrance 
through  a  tunnel,  some  two  hundred  feet  long,  cut 
through  the  solid  rock.  This  leads  into  the  main 
structure,  and  it  was  through  this  entrance  that  the 
party  was  ushered  upon  its  arrival. 

In  spite  of  his  busy  day,  Sindhu  had  given  orders 
that  suitable  apartments  for  his  guests  be  prepared. 
They  were  all  located  in  the  north  wing,  where  a 


PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

suite  of  six  rooms  was  assigned  the  missionaries. 
Mr.  Lombard  was  quartered  across  the  hall,  while 
Paul,  at  the  special  request  of  Oo  Toung-lay,  was 
given  a  suite  of  three  rooms  farther  down  the  hall 
and  adjoining  those  he  occupied  himself  whenever 
he  visited  in  Annakan.  The  aged  Burman  had 
formed  a  great  attachment  for  the  American,  —  an 
attachment  which  had  been  greatly  strengthened  by 
the  events  of  the  day. 

"  You  had  better  not  get  me  too  near  Meredith," 
laid  Mr.  Lombard,  as  the  majordomo  was  showing 
them  to  their  apartments.  "  We  are  liable  to  get 
into  an  argument,  and  I  know  more  about  his  relig- 
ion now  than  he  does  himself." 

Paul,  overhearing  the  remark  and  recognizing  the 
cause,  exclaimed  with  a  laugh :  "  Better  not  try  to 
ttalk  before  you  can  creep." 

"  Oh,  I  read  your  book  pretty  nearly  through 
to-day.  I  have  got  the  whole  thing.  Of  course  there 
are  a  lot  of  ideas  in  it  that  are  wrong  and  foolish ; 
but  in  the  main  it  is  a  good  thing.  It  is  as  far  above 
the  other  Christian  beliefs  as  electricity  is  above  a 
candle." 

Again  Paul  smiled  broadly  as  he  replied :  "  You 
are  a  learned  man,  Mr.  Lombard ;  but  do  not  criti- 
cize too  hastily.  Learned  as  you  are,  you  can  hardly 
expect  to  acquire  a  perfect  knowledge  of  so  profound 
a  science  in  a  few  hours'  reading  of  its  text-book. 
With  just  as  good  reason,  you  might  declare  many 
of  the  problems  in  geometry  absurd  and  foolish,  be- 
cause, after  one  or  two  perusals  of  the  text-book, 
you  could  not  understand  the  terms  and  apply  the 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        2fc.* 

basic  law  of  conic  sections,  or  demonstrate  all  the 
problems  the  book  contains.  Let  me  advise  you,  as 
you  value  your  reputation  as  a  man  of  fairness 
and  discernment,  to  withhold  your  judgment  of  the 
Christian  Science  text-book  until  you  have  studied 
it.  You  will  find  that  it  contains  no  problems  that 
have  not  been  worked  out.  Its  propositions  can  be 
demonstrated  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  any  earnest 
and  faithful  student.  Indeed,"  declared  Paul  with 
emphasis,  "  the  book  must  be  studied,  not  simply 
perused." 

Lombard  stopped  as  he  was  about  to  enter  his 
apartment.  "  Do  you  really  believe  that  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  know  it,"  said  Paul. 

"  And  can  you  demonstrate  that  there  is  no  mat- 
ter?" 

"  You  saw  it  demonstrated  to-day,  Mr.  Lombard, 
when  through  this  very  knowledge  I  prevented,  as 
you  expressed  it,  the  caravan  from  being  turned  into 
a  funeral  procession,"  was  Paul's  reply  as  he  passed 
on  to  his  own  quarters,  followed  by  Dhuleep  Mingh. 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  wishes  he  could  read  the  little 
book,"  remarked  the  servitor,  as  he  began  to  unpack 
Paul's  luggage.  "  Can  it  not  be  made  in  Burmese?  " 

"  Not  yet,"  was  the  response.  "  If  Dhuleep  Mingh 
wishes  to  read  it,  he  must  learn  to  read  English." 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  is  too  old." 

"  Not  at  all.  Age  is  a  man-made  thought.  There 
is  no  time  with  God,  who  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day 
and  forever.  He  had  no  beginning;  he  will  have 
no  end.  I  have  heard  of  many  persons,"  continued 
Paul,  "  who  have  learned  to  read  this  book  after  they 


£22        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

had  passed  the  three  score  and  ten  years  allotted  to 
material  man  by  mortal  law." 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  will  begin  to  learn  to-night." 

And  he  did.  Long  after  Paul  was  asleep  and  the 
palace  guard  was  making  its  hourly  round,  this  first 
Burmese  student  of  Paul  was  poring  over  his  books 
and  picking  out  the  few  English  words  he  knew. 

It  was  not  until  next  morning  that  Prince  Sindhu 
had  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  his  father  and 
sister  concerning  the  details  of  the  previous  day, 
which  he  had  heard  in  brief  from  Captain  Shway 
the  night  before.  They  had  assembled  in  Sindhu's 
apartment  in  accordance  with  an  ancient  custom  of 
the  family,  that  all  members  under  one  roof  should 
meet  for  a  brief  greeting  before  the  duties  of  the 
day.  Oo  Toung-lay  had  told  of  his  sickness  and 
recovery,  and  Sindhu  had  listened  quietly  till  he  had 
finished.  Then,  nodding  his  head  several  times,  as 
was  his  habit  when  forcibly  impressed,  he  said: 

"  Certainy,  Father,  we  are  becoming  considerably 
indebted  to  this  Mr.  Anthony.  First  he  saved  Sofia's 
life,  and  now,  in  a  manner  no  less  pronounced,  he 
has  saved  yours.  I  trust  the  time  is  coming  when 
we  can  make  him  some  suitable  reward." 

"  No  reward  that  we  could  offer  him  would  be  suit- 
able," declared  Sofia. 

"  I  can  only  think  of  one,"  remarked  Oo  Toung- 
lay,  "  and  we  cannot  very  well  ask  him  to  accept  that 
unless  he  shows  some  desire  for  it." 

He  looked  at  his  daughter  from  out  the  corner 
of  his  eye,  and  her  blushes  were  ample  proof  that 
she  understood. 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        223 

"  Please  never  mention  my  foolishness  again !  "  she 
exclaimed.  "  I  blush  for  very  shame,  every  time  I 
think  of  what  his  opinion  of  me  would  be  if  he  should 
learn  the  truth  about  my  silly  action." 

"  From  what  I  can  judge  of  the  man,"  said  Sindhu, 
in  a  sort  of  analytical  manner,  "  I  should  say  that 
in  so  far  as  he  is  personally  concerned,  he  feels  amply 
rewarded  in  the  knowledge  of  doing  good.  I  dislike, 
however,  to  be  under  such  obligation  to  any  man,  and 
should  like  the  opportunity  of  really  doing  something 
for  him  that  is  worth  while." 

"  He  once  said  to  me,"  remarked  Sofia,  "  that  the 
only  favor  he  asked  of  any  one  was  that  he  be  judged 
by  his  works.  I  think  that  is  the  only  reward  that 
any  of  us  will  ever  be  able  to  give  him." 

"  And  no  one,"  exclaimed  Oo  Toung-lay  emphat- 
ically, "  will  ever  be  able  to  convince  me  that  his 
works  are  anything  but  good." 

"  Nor  me,  either,"  affirmed  Sindhu.  "  For  the 
present  I  shall  have  to  leave  him  in  your  hands ;  and 
by  the  way,  tell  him  that  for  some  days  I  shall  be  so 
occupied  with  this  hill  trouble  that  I  shall  be  unable 
to  take  up  the  water-works  question. 

"  As  regards  our  other  guests,  Sofia,  you  had  bet- 
ter suggest  to  them  the  wisdom  of  remaining  in  the 
palace  until  the  outbreak  is  over.  Give  Miss  Ray- 
mond my  respects,  and  tell  her  that  I  shall  see  her 
at  the  earliest  possible  moment." 

When  Paul  was  informed  of  the  necessary  delay 
in  the  water-works  investigation,  he  determined  to  do 
all  the  work  alone  that  was  possible,  and  to  find  out 
whether  or  not  the  plan  was  practical.  Accordingly 


224        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

he  took  his  theodolite  and  Dhuleep  Mingh,  and  started 
up  the  mountain-side  to  run  a  few  levels.  On  the  way 
out  of  the  palace  he  encountered  Sindhu. 

"  You  had  better  take  an  escort,"  he  told  him. 

"  I  think  not,"  said  Paul.  "  I  am  only  going  to 
the  top  of  the  mountain  back  of  the  palace.  I  think 
I  can  find  out  what  I  wish  to  know  without  going 
beyond  the  city  wall." 

Outside,  Paul  encountered  Captain  Shway  in  con- 
versation with  a  couple  of  young  noblemen.  They 
looked  at  Paul  contemptuously,  and,  as  Captain 
Shway  touched  his  cap,  one  of  them  remarked  loud 
enough  for  Paul  to  hear : 

"  Do  you  consider  it  the  mark  of  a  true  Burman, 
captain,  to  salute  these  foreign  cattle?  " 

Paul  did  not  hear  the  rejoinder,  but  he  was  not 
at  all  annoyed,  as  he  knew  the  young  man  was  but 
voicing  the  general  Burmese  opinion  of  foreigners. 

"  Does  the  Sahib  know  that  man  ?  "  asked  Dhuleep 
Ming. 

"  Never  saw  him  before.  I  recognize  him  as  voi- 
cing error,  however." 

"  He  is  Moung  Than,  son  of  the  Prime  Minister. 
The  servants  say  he  aspires  to  become  the  husband 
of  the  Princess  Sofia." 

Paul  turned  upon  Dhuleep  Mingh  a  severe  look,  as 
he  said  with  great  earnestness :  "  How  often  must  I 
tell  you,  Dhuleep  Mingh,  that  gossip  is  one  of  the 
worst  of  sins.  You  may  be  bearing  false  witness. 
You  do  not  know  that  such  a  report  is  true.  This 
is  not  the  way  to  reflect  Truth  and  Love." 

"  After  what  I  saw  at  Myang-Nee,"  said  Dhuleep 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        225 

Mingh  apologetically,  "  I  thought  the  Sahib  would 
like  to  know." 

"  What  you  saw  at  Myang-Nee  was  only  another 
example  of  bearing  false  witness.  That  time  it  was 
your  eyes  that  deceived  you.  That  act  of  the  prin- 
cess meant  nothing  more  than  simple  courtesy  to  a 
foreign  guest.  Now  that  you  know  the  truth,  the 
error  is  destroyed." 

There  was  no  thought  in  Dhuleep  Mingh's  mind 
to  question  the  truth  of  any  statement  made  by  Paul ; 
but  he  came  nearer  questioning  this  than  any  he  had 
ever  heard  Paul  make.  How  could  any  man  with 
eyes  refuse  to  accept  such  an  intimation  of  royal 
favor  from  so  handsome  a  young  woman  as  Sofia? 

Could  Paul  have  heard  the  conversation  between 
the  young  noblemen  and  Captain  Shway  after  he 
had  passed  them,  he  might  not  have  felt  so  certain 
that  the  error  was  destroyed. 

"  The  foreign  cattle,  as  you  call  them,"  replied 
Captain  Shway  to  the  remark  made  by  Moung  Than, 
"  are  likely  to  play  a  conspicuous  part  in  Bajipur 
from  this  on." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  know,"  was  the  rejoinder.  "  The 
British  are  coming  to  help  put  down  this  disturbance. 
I  suppose  we  shall  have  to  tolerate  them." 

"  Even  at  that,  they  are  only  cattle,"  spoke  up  his 
companion,  Boh  Galay  by  name.  "  We  will  let  them 
fight  our  battles,  and  when  we  are  through  with 
them  we  will  kick  them  out." 

"  You  had  better  not  let  your  words  reach  Prince 
Sindhu,"  said  the  captain.  "  I  had  no  thought  of 
the  English,  however,  when  I  spoke.  At  Myang- 


226        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Nee  the  other  day,  before  all  the  people  who  were 
watching  the  review,  the  prince  indicated  as  plainly 
as  he  could  that  he  intended  to  make  the  foreign 
woman  his  princess ;  while  our  Sofia  took  by  the  hand, 
as  at  a  betrothal,  the  foreigner  who  has  just  left  the 
palace.  You  can  draw  your  own  conclusions." 

The  effect  of  this  choice  bit  of  gossip  was  vr,stly 
different  from  what  Captain  Shway  had  expected. 
While  he  had  intended  to  give  his  auditors  a  bit  of 
a  surprise,  he  was  not  prepared  for  the  outburst 
of  jealous  rage,  on  the  part  of  Moung  Than,  which 
followed  his  words.  The  young  man  broke  out  into 
such  a  volley  of  vituperation  and  abuse  that  Captain 
Shway  at  last  s.iid  with  much  firmness: 

"  Be  careful,  Moung  Than !  This  man  is  a  great 
pohn-gyee.  On  the  road  from  Myang-Nee,  Oo 
Toung-lay  was  suddenly  seized  with  the  Tagoung- 
colic  because  he  had  offended  the  great  nat,  and  was 
about  to  be  driven  from  this  life.  But  this  man  — 
and  he  is  no  ordinary  wehzah  —  drove  away  the  nat 
and  restored  Oo  Toung-lay  to  his  seat  in  the  howdah. 
You  had  best  have  a  care  how  you  revile  his  honor- 
able name,  lest  worse  ailment  come  upon  you !  " 

"  I  care  not  for  his  magic,"  declared  Moung  Than. 
"  There  are  worse  things  than  Tagoung-colic,  and 
there  are  men  more  to  be  feared  than  any  nat." 

"  True,  Moung  Than ! "  exclaimed  Boh  Galay. 
"  And  these  are  the  men  to  deal  with  when  it  comes 
to  ridding  ourselves  of  these  foreigners  who  come  to 
steal  our  fairest  women.  We  are  obliged  to  you, 
captain,  for  your  information.  Come,  Moung  Tham. 
The  people  shall  know." 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        227 

The  young  man  departed  in  a  rage,  and  Captain 
Shway,  left  alone,  began  to  berate  himself  for  a  gos- 
siping mischief-maker,  and  to  consider  what  he  had 
better  do.  He  was  very  friendly  to  Paul,  both  on  his 
own  account,  and  because  he  looked  upon  him  as  the 
future  husband  of  his  princess.  He  was  not  par- 
ticularly friendly  with  Moung  Than  and  his  associ- 
ates, although  he  knew  them  to  be  a  power  in  the 
city  and  state.  He  further  realized  that  they  would 
be  able  to  make  much  trouble  because  of  the  feeling 
against  foreigners;  and  he  was  doubly  sure  that  if 
they  should  once  succeed  in  putting  Paul  out  of  the 
way,  there  would  be  little  danger  of  their  punishment. 
The  only  thing  to  do,  therefore,  was  to  so  protect 
Paul  that  they  should  not  injure  him. 

Captain  Shway 's  first  impulse  was  to  tell  Sofia, 
but  he  feared  that  this  information  might  unduly 
alarm  her.  He  knew  that  Sindhu  had  just  left  the 
city  on  a  tour  of  inspection  of  the  frontier,  and 
could  not  be  reached.  Finally  he  bethought  himself 
of  Oo  Toung-lay,  and  determined  to  lay  the  matter 
before  him  without  further  delay. 

The  old  gentleman  was  greatly  disturbed  by  the 
information.  He  criticized  the  captain  soundly  for 
spreading  the  report  concerning  Paul  and  Sofia,  but 
the  officer  excused  himself  on  the  ground  that  he  sup- 
posed the  matter  was  public  property.  Then  he 
wanted  to  send  and  recall  Sindhu,  but  the  captain 
showed  him  that  it  would  be  impossible.  Then  he 
again  berated  the  officer  for  his  meddlesome  tongue. 

"  Well,  there  is  no  use  crying  over  spilt  milk !  " 
exclaimed  Mr.  Lombard,  who  was  present  when  tlip 


228        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

captain  made  his  report.  "  The  best  thing  to  do  la 
to  tell  Mr.  Anthony,  so  that  he  can  protect  himself." 

"  You  do  not  understand !  "  exclaimed  Oo  Toung- 
lay  vehemently.  "  That  is  the  very  thing  I  cannot 
do.  Anthony  does  not  know  what  the  incident  meant, 
and  never  must  know  if  we  can  help  it." 

"  What !  "  gasped  Mr.  Lombard.  "  Does  he  not 
want  to  marry  Sofia?  " 

"  A-me !  I  do  not  know !  But  if  he  does,  he  has 
never  said  so.  My  daughter  thinks  that,  if  he  knew 
the  meaning  of  her  act,  she  would  be  shamed  in  his 
eyes  forever." 

"  That  being  the  case,"  declared  Captain  Shway, 
"  all  we  can  do  is  to  guard  him  as  best  we  can,  and 
tell  him  that  it  is  because  of  the  feeling  against  for- 
eigners." 

"  There  are  plenty  of  reasons  just  now  why  his 
life  might  be  in  danger,"  said  Mr.  Lombard.  "  Any 
excuse  will  do,  so  that  he  is  put  on  his  guard.  But 
Sindhu  must  know  the  facts  as  soon  as  possible." 

'*  It  may  be  two  or  three  days  before  Sindhu  re- 
turns," said  Oo  Toung-lay. 

"  And  when  angry  men  are  plotting,  much  may 
happen  in  two  days,"  remarked  the  captain. 

"  Where  is  Mr.  Anthony  now  ?  "  asked  Oo  Toung- 
lay. 

"  He  and  his  servant  went  up  the  mountain  but 
half  an  hour  ago." 

"  Reach  him  as  soon  as  you  can,  and  tell  him  that 
his  life  is  in  danger.  Give  him  any  reason  you  like, 
so  that  he  understands  how  great  the  danger  is." 

"  I  will  go  at  once." 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        229 

"  The  British  are  due  in  a  day  or  two  at  the  most," 
continued  Oo  Toung-lay.  "  Just  as  soon  as  they 
come,  I  shall  place  all  the  foreigners  in  their  care, 
unless  my  son  thinks  differently." 

Captain  Shway  left  the  palace  and  hastened  in  the 
direction  taken  by  Paul.  It  was  easy  to  locate  him., 
as  every  native  in  Annakan  knew  of  the  foreigners 
whom  Prince  Sindhu  had  honored.  As  a  result,  every 
time  one  of  them  appeared  on  the  street,  he  was  fol- 
lowed at  a  short  distance  by  a  crowd  of  the  curious. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to  relate  that 
the  report  of  Elizabeth's  beauty  as  well  as  the  still 
more  important  matter  that  she  had  ridden  into  An- 
nakan on  the  royal  elephant,  had  spread  all  over  the 
city,  and  was  the  subject  of  gossip  in  every  quarter. 
Certainly  Prince  Sindhu  must  have  some  great  honor 
in  store  for  her,  and  what  could  it  be  except  to  make 
her  his  wife  ?  Such  a  suggestion  was  not  particularly 
pleasing  to  the  citizens,  and,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
expected  coming  of  the  English  soldiers,  the  reports 
might  have  caused  Sindhu  some  considerable  trouble. 
As  it  was,  however,  the  citizens  simply  displayed  their 
curiosity,  and  that  is  how  Captain  Shway  was  quickly 
able  to  discover  Paul's  whereabouts  by  the  crowd  that 
was  watching  his  doings  on  the  peak  above  the  pal- 
ace. 

As  the  captain  approached,  Paul  was  just  con- 
cluding his  observations  and  was  about  to  return  to 
the  palace.  He  greeted  the  captain  pleasantly  and 
asked  if  he  were  interested  in  the  work  contemplated. 

"  I  know  very  little  about  it,"  was  the  reply,  "  ex- 
cept I  have  heard  that  Prince  Sindhu  has  a  mind  to 


230        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

bring  the  water  from  the  lake  beyond  the  mountain. 
It  has  always  looked  very  foolish  to  me,  for  how  could 
he  make  the  water  run  up  the  other  side  of  the  moun- 
tain?" 

"  That  is  a  very  simple  matter,"  said  Paul. 

"  Does  the  Sahib  mean  that  he  can  make  the  water 
run  up-hill?  "  asked  the  captain  incredulously. 

"  Certainly,  by  the  siphon  process ;  but  unless  the 
city  of  Annakan  is  lower  than  the  lake,  we  would 
derive  no  benefit  from  the  work.  I  have  just  been 
taking  an  accurate  observation  to  determine  the  ex- 
act altitude  of  the  highest  part  of  the  city." 

"  The  Sahib  is  a  great  pohn-gyee,"  declared  Cap- 
tain Shway,  "  but  I  cannot  believe  he  can  make  water 
run  up-hill." 

"  That  is  because  you  do  not  understand  the  prin- 
ciple involved,  Captain.  The  minute  you  do,  you  will 
believe  to  such  an  extent  that  you  will  even  be  able 
to  make  it  run  up-hill  yourself.  It  is  the  same  way 
with  everything  that  we  have  to  learn  through  Sci- 
ence. The  sight,  hearing  and  other  physical  senses 
continually  deceive  us ;  but  Science,  with  the  unerr- 
ing precision  of  divine  Truth,  shows  us  the  reality." 

The  captain  shook  his  head  and  smiled  disparag- 
ingly. "  I  fear  I  am  not  wise  enough  to  understand 
these  things,"  he  said. 

"  All  wisdom  is  of  God,  Captain,  and,  tince  man 
is  the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  and  reflects  the 
one  Mind  which  governs  the  spiritual  universe, 
there  is  nothing  you  may  not  learn.  The  hardest 
thing  which  we  have  to  do  in  Science  is  to  unlearn 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        231 

the  things  which  we  think  we  know.  Here,  let  me 
show  you." 

Turning  toward  the  city  and  pointing  to  a  moun- 
tain in  the  distance,  whose  peak  seemed  to  pierce  the 
sky,  Paul  asked :  "  Which  do  you  think  is  the  higher, 
that  mountain  yonder  or  the  place  on  which  we  now 
stand?" 

Captain  Shway  looked  at  Paul  and  laughed,  as 
though  he  thought  it  a  joke.  Seeing,  however,  that 
Paul  was  in  earnest,  he  said' 

"  Why,  Sahib,  any  one  can  see  that  yonder  moun- 
tain is  the  higher.  It  touches  the  heavens." 

Paul  turned  the  instrument  toward  the  distant 
peak  and  arranged  his  levels,  while  the  captain  eyed 
him  curiously. 

"  Now,  Captain,  look  here,"  he  finally  said. 

The  captain  drew  closer. 

"  You  understand  how  to  sight,  do  you  not?  " 

"  Yes,  Sahib." 

"  And  you  see  that  this  instrument  is  perfectly 
level,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sahib." 

"  Now  then,"  said  Paul,  explaining,  "  you  under- 
stand that  if  the  instrument  is  level,  and  yonder 
mountain  is  higher  than  this,  by  looking  through  the 
telescope  you  will  see  the  trees  on  the  mountain-side. 
If  that  peak  is  about  the  same  height,  you  will  see 
the  pagoda  on  the  summit.  Now  look." 

The  captain  placed  his  eyes  to  the  instrument  and 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"  What  do  you  see  ?  "  asked  Paul. 

"  Nothing,  Sahib." 


232        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  That,"  said  Paul,  "  is  because  there  is  nothing 
to  see.  You  are  looking  over  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tain into  space,  because  we  are  the  higher." 

The  captain  still  looked  incredulous,  and  Paul 
again  sighted  and  adjusted  the  instrument. 

"  Now  we  will  have  another  look,"  he  said.  "  You 
can  see  for  yourself  by  this  plumb-line,  and  by  the 
water  level  on  the  top  of  the  telescope,  that  the  in- 
strument is  looking  down,  can  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sahib." 

"  Then  if  you  can  see  the  pagoda  on  yonder  moun- 
tain by  looking  through  this  glass,  it  must  be  below 
us  ;  is  it  not  so  ?  " 

«  Yes,  Sahib." 

Now  look  and  tell  me  what  you  see." 

The  captain  again  placed  his  eye  to  the  glass  and 
started  back,  exclaiming :  "  A-me !  I  did  not  know 
it  was  so  near.  Why,  I  can  see  the  monks  in  the 
door !  " 

Paul  laughed.     "  Then  you  do  see  the  pagoda  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sahib." 

"  Then  it  must  be  below  us.  By  a  little  figuring 
I  could  tell  you  exactly  how  much.  It  is  at  least  a 
couple  of  hundred  feet." 

"  Is  the  Sahib  sure  his  instrument  tells  the  truth?  " 
asked  the  captain. 

"  Absolutely.     I  have  proved  it." 

The  captain  shook  his  head.  "  When  I  look  at 
yonder  mountain  reaching  up  to  the  heavens,  I  can 
hardly  believe  it." 

"  That  is  what  I  meant,"  explained  Paul,  "  when 
I  said  it  was  harder  to  unlearn  than  it  was  to  learn. 


MOUNG    THAN'S    CONSPIRACY        233 

If  you  had  not  come  to  believe  your  eyes,  you  would 
not  doubt  the  instrument ;  but  after  you  have  proved 
that  the  instrument  always  tells  the  truth,  because 
it  is  made  to  demonstrate  a  law  of  mathematics,  you 
will  never  doubt. 

"  To  the  men  living  on  yonder  peak,  this  mountain 
seems  the  higher.  They  happen  to  be  right,  but  they 
were  just  as  likely  to  be  mistaken  as  we,  because  they 
are  being  guided  by  physical  sensation  and  not  by 
a  scientific  rule." 

"  May  Dhuleep  Mingh  look  also  ?  "  asked  the  first 
of  Paul's  students,  who  up  to  this  time  had  been  an 
interested  listener. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Paul. 

Dhuleep  Mingh  placed  his  eye  to  the  instrument, 
and  he  in  turn  uttered  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"  What  makes  the  pagoda  look  so  near,  Sahib  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"  The  lenses  in  the  telescope.  They  demonstrate 
that  it  depends  altogether  upon  how  we  look  at  things 
as  to  how  they  appear.  Because  through  the  tele- 
scope you  can  see  the  pagoda  plainly,  you  say  it 
seems  to  be  near.  You  know,  however,  that  it  is  no 
nearer.  If  you  had  been  looking  through  the  tele- 
scope all  your  life,  and  for  the  first  time  looked  with- 
out it,  you  would  then  ask :  *  What  makes  the  pagoda 
look  so  far  away  ?  '  Distance  depends  entirely  upon 
our  physical  senses.  To  God,  Mind,  who  fills  all 
space,  there  is  no  distance.  As  man  is  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God,  we  shall  lose  this  limiting  sense 
of  distance  when  we  realize  our  true  selfhood." 

His  auditors  were  lost  in  thought  for  several  min- 


234        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

utes,  while  Paul  unscrewed  the  instrument  from  its 
tripod  and  packed  it  in  its  case.  Suddenly  Captain 
Shway  gathered  his  thoughts  sufficiently  to  say: 

"  This  all  seems  very  wonderful  to  me,  Sahib.  So 
wonderful  that  it  nearly  made  me  forget  what  I  came 
for." 

Paul  looked  at  him  inquiringly  for  a  minute.  Then 
the  information  given  him  by  Dhuleep  Mingh  flashed 
through  his  mind,  and  the  disturbed  look  on  the  cap- 
tain's face  convinced  him  that  he  knew  the  message. 
Aloud  he  said: 

"  You  need  not  tell  me ;   I  know." 

"  Impossible,  Sahib." 

"  Not  at  all,"  was  Paul's  laughing  rejoinder. 
"  You  came  to  tell  me  that  some  one  wanted  to  do 
me  an  injury." 

"  Is  the  Sahib  so  wise  that  he  can  read  men's 
thoughts?" 

"  Not  at  all.  I  have  simply  put  together  what 
different  persons  have  told  me  and  drawn  my  con- 
clusions. There  is  no  mystery  about  it.  The  boy 
who  was  made  to  walk  told  me  what  the  people  in 
Myang-Nee  thought.  Dhuleep  Mingh  told  me  what 
the  young  nobleman  thought,  and  I  know  what  you 
think.  No  other  message  would  have  been  consid- 
ered important." 

"  The  Sahib  is  right.  Moung  Than  and  Boh  Ga- 
lay  have  threatened  to  do  you  harm.  They  are  very 
powerful."  The  captain  paused  for  a  moment.  "  But 
the  Sahib  is  very  wise,"  he  concluded. 

"  Only  wise  enough  to  have  learned  that  '  He  that 
dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High  shall 


235 

abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  Surely  he 
shall  deliver  thee  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler.'  To 
me,  Captain,  that  means  that  he  who  lives  in  Love 
can  not  be  harmed  by  hate;  for  hate  is  error,  and 
love  is  truth,  and  truth  must  always  destroy  error." 

Both  his  companions  looked  at  Paul  in  wonder- 
ment. At  length  Dhuleep  Mingh  asked :  "  Does 
that  mean  that  the  Sahib's  God  will  destroy  these 
men?" 

"  No.  Only  the  error,  the  hatred  which  they  seem 
to  reflect,  but  which  is  unreal  because  it  is  not  of 
God." 

"  O  Sahib ! "  exclaimed  the  captain  earnestly, 
"  there  is  nothing  unreal  about  the  anger  of  these 
men.  They  will  kill  you,  or  have  you  killed,  if  they 
can." 

"  Why,  Captain,"  said  Paul,  with  a  smile  so  broad 
as  to  be  almost  a  laugh,  "  have  you  so  soon  forgot- 
ten how  high  yonder  mountain  looked  until  you  knew 
the  truth  about  it?  " 

"  But  this  is  much  different." 

"  Not  at  all !  "  was  the  decisive  rejoinder.  "  Viewed 
in  the  light  of  Mind,  hatred  becomes  but  a  dream 
which  is  dissipated  by  the  sunlight  of  Love.  Where 
the  sun  shines,  there  is  no  darkness.  Where  there  is 
light  there  is  no  hiding-place  for  evil." 


CHAPTER    XV 

UNDER    THE    SHADOW    OF    THE    ALMIGHTY 

THREE  days  later,  the  Ninety-second  Regiment  of 
light  dragoons,  twelve  hundred  strong,  and  under 
command  of  Colonel  Holliday,  had  arrived  and  en- 
camped on  the  plain  just  outside  the  city.  It  had 
left  Mandalay  the  day  after  receiving  news  of  the 
outbreak,  for  the  British  have  learned,  after  many 
years  of  sad  experience,  that  when  there  is  trouble 
anywhere  in  India,  the  sooner  it  is  settled  the  better. 

Upon  hearing  of  the  expedition,  Captain  Ormonde 
had  at  once  applied  for  an  assignment,  and  had  been 
detailed  as  special  aide  on  the  colonel's  staff.  It  was 
felt  that  his  close  acquaintance  with  Prince  Sindhu 
would  really  make  it  more  agreeable  for  all  concerned. 

"  And  besides,"  he  explained  to  Colonel  Holliday 
when  he  reported  for  duty,  "  I  was  going  up  a  little 
later  to  shoot  some  big  game.  This  gives  me  my 
outing  a  trifle  earlier  and  makes  the  game  a  little 
bigger ;  that  is  all." 

On  the  way  across  from  Myonk,  the  Ninety-second 
had  fallen  in  with  a  band  of  Tartars  some  two  hun- 
dred strong.  Fleet  as  were  the  steeds  of  Tartary, 
the  hillmen  were  so  taken  by  surprise  that  they  could 
not  help  being  driven  into  a  cul-de-sac  in  the  moun- 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  237 

tains,  where  the  entire  band  was  either  killed  or  cap- 
tured, after  a  sharp  skirmish,  in  which  several  of  the 
dragoons  were  wounded. 

Upon  their  arrival  at  Annakan  the  previous  night, 
Colonel  Holliday  and  his  staff  had  been  immediately 
quartered  at  the  palace,  and  Elizabeth  was  given  a 
genuine  and  unexpected  surprise  by  finding  herself 
suddenly  confronted  in  the  great  rotunda  by  Nora 
O'Keef e,  who  threw  both  arms  about  her,  exclaiming : 

"  And  is  it  yourself,  Mavourneen!  Sure  the  major 
couldn't  make  me  stay  in  Mandalay  when  I  heard 
where  the  regiment  was  coming.  Colonel  Holliday 
stormed  and  declared  that  women  were  a  nuisance  on 
a  campaign,  and  father  was  about  ready  to  throw 
up  his  commission ;  but,  faith,  when  I  put  my  arms 
about  his  neck,  and  gave  him  a  good  old-fashioned 
hug,  and  threatened  to  treat  the  colonel  the  same 
way  if  he  opposed  me,  he  yielded  gracefully,  and 
here  I  am." 

Again  she  threw  her  arms  about  Elizabeth's  neck 
and  gave  her  a  sounding  smack  on  both  cheeks,  —  a 
greeting  which  was  returned  with  fervor,  for  Eliza- 
beth was  overjoyed  to  see  her. 

"  I  shall  ask  if  it  is  not  possible  to  give  you  a  room 
right  next  to  me,"  said  Elizabeth,  as  soon  as  they 
had  quieted  down,  and  Nora  had  imparted  all  the 
news  of  the  trip.  "  Every  one  has  been  very  kind 
to  us,  and  the  princess  has  simply  insisted  that  we 
make  our  residence  here  till  matters  settle  down.  The 
prince  has  been  away  most  of  the  time,  but  we  have 
been  treated  royally." 

Nora  placed  her  mouth  close  to  Elizabeth's  ear 


f38        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

and  whispered :  "  Sure,  do  you  think  he's  my 
prince?  " 

For  a  moment  Elizabeth  could  not  think  what  the 
girl  meant;  but  as  the  remembrance  of  the  story  of 
the  pineapple  garden  came  back  to  her,  —  a  story 
which  she  had  entirely  forgotten  in  the  excitement  of 
the  unusual  happenings  of  the  past  three  weeks,  — 
the  blood  left  her  cheeks,  and  instinctively  she  shrank 
away.  If  it  were  the  same,  how  could  she  tell  Nora 
of  the  things  that  had  happened? 

Nora  noted  the  blanching  of  her  cheeks  and  the 
look  upon  Elizabeth's  face,  and  again  repeated  her 
question,  but  with  more  earnestness. 

"  He  might  be  the  same,"  was  Elizabeth's  reply. 
"  I  must  say  that  they  both  fit  the  description,  but 
I  have  never  mentioned  the  incident  to  either  of 
them." 

"  Do  you  think  he  is  so  handsome?  "  asked  Nora, 
eying  Elizabeth  with  an  air  of  suspicion. 

"  My  mind  has  been  so  taken  up  with  many  strange 
and  remarkable  happenings  that  I  have  not  paid 
much  attention  to  the  man's  looks.  But  you  must 
meet  Mr.  Anthony  yourself." 

"  Now,  pray,  who  is  Mr.  Anthony  ?  "  asked  Nora, 
in  surprise  at  the  sudden  change  of  subjects. 

"  I  had  forgotten  that  you  did  not  know.  It  seems 
so  long  since  I  met  him,"  laughed  Elizabeth,  "  that 
I  feel  as  though  every  one  must  have  heard  of  him." 

An  amused  smile  spread  itself  over  Nora's  face, 
and  with  a  much  lighter  heart  than  for  several  min- 
utes, she  exclaimed :  "  Faith,  Mavourneen,  has  it  gone 
as  far  as  that !  " 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  239 

Elizabeth  blushed.  She  had  been  so  full  of  her 
own  thoughts  about  Paul  that  she  had  not  considered 
how  her  words  might  be  taken  by  another. 

"  You  are  entirely  mistaken,"  she  finally  stam- 
mered. "  It  is  not  in  that  way  that  I  have  thought 
of  Paul  Anthony.  It  is  only  as  a  man  who  has  found 
a  great  truth  which  I  would  make  my  own." 

Her  look  of  earnest  longing  was  so  convincing  that 
Nora  was  constrained  to  say :  "  There !  there ! 
Acushla!  Don't  fret  about  it!  I'm  sure  you'll  get 
your  heart's  desire,  whatever  it  is." 

Then  after  a  pause :  "  You  shall  tell  me  all  about 
this  Mr.  Anthony  another  time.  What  I  want  to 
know  now  is,  where  I  am  to  be  quartered  for  the 
night.  I  must  go  hunt  father."  She  started  across 
the  great  hall.  "  Remember,"  she  called  over  her 
shoulder,  "  you're  to  tell  me  all  about  him  later  on." 

"  You  will  not  be  able  to  live  in  Annakan  twenty- 
four  hours  without  hearing  about  him,"  was  the  re- 

piy- 

Elizabeth  had  not  intended  this  as  a  prophecy,  but 
such  it  proved.  Prince  Sindhu  had  made  a  hasty 
inspection  of  the  frontier  posts  and  arrived  home  the 
same  night  as  the  Ninety-second.  He  at  once  deter- 
mined to  make  the  arrival  of  the  British  the  occasion 
of  a  grand  review  of  all  his  forces.  The  order  was 
given  that  night,  and  early  the  next  morning  Nora 
looked  up  Elizabeth  and  took  her  out  to  regimental 
headquarters.  She  also  invited  Elder  Meredith  and 
Rev.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  to  come  out  later,  promising 
them  a  good  seat  upon  an  army  wagon,  where  they 
could  get  a  good  view  of  the  field. 


240        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

At  the  morning  conference  of  Prince  Sindhu  and 
his  family,  the  threats  of  Moung  Than  and  Boh 
Galay  were  repeated  to  him  by  his  father ;  likewise 
the  conversation  between  Paul  and  Captain  Shway. 
Out  of  regard  for  Sofia's  feelings,  however,  Oo 
Toung-lay  refrained  from  informing  either  his  son 
or  daughter  that  Paul  was  aware  of  the  prevailing 
gossip. 

"  We  must  take  steps  at  once,"  declared  Sindhu, 
"  to  prevent  the  spread  of  these  sentiments,  as  well 
as  to  protect  Mr.  Anthony  from  any  possible  danger. 
The  matter  shall  be  attended  to  immediately  after  the 
review.  In  the  meantime,  it  would  be  wise  for  you 
and  Sofia  to  take  him  in  charge.  Your  escort  will 
be  quite  sufficient." 

"  I  fear  we  are  doing  Mr.  Anthony  almost  as  much 
injury  by  this  public  recognition  as  was  done  by  the 
other,"  said  Oo  Toung-lay.  "  It  will  but  lend  color 
to  the  report  and  anger  his  enemies.  If  the  report 
were  only  true,  I  would  not  mind,"  he  declared  with 
emphasis.  "  There,  I  have  said  it  and  I  will  stick 
to  it!" 

Sindhu  laughed  outright  at  his  father's  enthusi- 
asm, while  Sofia,  with  burning  cheeks,  exclaimed: 
"  I  feel  so  humiliated  every  time  I  meet  him  that  I 
am  actually  coming  to  shun  the  man !  " 

"  Well,  I  see  no  other  way  at  this  time,"  said 
Sindhu,  rising  and  buckling  on  his  sword.  "  If  it 
angers  any  one,  it  will  have  to  do  so.  After  to-day, 
however,  I  shall  see  that  they  are  placed  where  their 
anger  will  harm  no  one." 

As  the  result  of  the  conversation,  when  Oo  Toung- 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  241 

lay  returned  to  his  apartments,  he  knocked  at  Paul's 
door.  There  was  no  response  and  he  knocked  again. 
Still  there  was  no  reply.  Knowing  that  it  was  not 
Paul's  habit  to  leave  his  room  so  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, a  feeling  of  apprehension  seized  him,  and  he 
turned  the  bolt  and  opened  the  door.  The  front  room 
was  vacant,  but  from  the  inner  room  came  the  noise 
of  voices  speaking  in  subdued  tones. 

With  still  more  apprehension  that  all  was  not 
right  within,  Oo  Toung-lay  tiptoed  softly  to  the  door, 
which  was  slightly  ajar.  Judge  of  his  surprise  at 
discovering  within,  not  a  band  of  conspirators  deep 
in  some  lawless  act,  but  Paul,  seated  in  a  chair  at 
a  little  table,  reading  alternately  from  his  Bible  and 
his  text-book  to  Mr.  Lombard,  Captain  Shway  and 
Dhuleep  Mingh.  Oo  Toung-lay  drew  a  little  nearer, 
and  in  so  doing  attracted  Paul's  attention.  He 
looked  up  with  a  smile  of  greeting. 

"  Good  morning,  sir.  You  rather  stole  a  march 
on  us.  But  come  in;  we  are  just  going  over  our 
daily  lesson." 

Oo  Toung-lay  entered  and  took  a  seat  which  Dhu- 
leep Mingh  brought,  and  the  lesson  proceeded. 

"  The  subject  of  to-day's  lesson,"  explained  Paul, 
"  is  Love.  We  are  trying  to  find  out  just  exactly 
what  John  meant  when  he  wrote,  '  God  is  Love.' 
This  is  the  definition  which  most  appeals  to  mankind, 
but  which  is  the  hardest  to  understand." 

He  continued  reading,  taking  the  references  from 
a  book  of  lesson  sermons.  He  read  without  making 
any  explanations  until  he  had  reached  the  end.  Once 
or  twice  he  stopped  to  define  a  word  for  Captain 


242        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Shway,  whose  knowledge  of  English  was  limited. 
When  he  had  finished,  Mr.  Lombard  said: 

"  I  seem  to  see  God  in  a  new  light." 

"  That  ought  to  be  a  source  of  great  pleasure  to 
you,"  said  Paul,  "  for  we  are  told  that  only  as  we  are 
*  pure  in  heart  shall  we  see  God  '  at  all." 

"  Such  a  God  is  most  wonderful  to  me,"  exclaimed 

00  Toung-lay.     "  I  have  always  considered  that  the 
manaw,  or  soul  of  man,  was  what  man  made  it.     Now 

1  see  that  the  soul  of  man  is  man,  and  that  being 
made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  who  is  Love, 
man  must  be  wholly  good  and  beautiful." 

"  Man  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God,"  replied 
Paul,  "  is  not  God,  but  the  reflection  of  God.  He 
is  an  idea  of  God.  You  are  in  the  true  image  and 
likeness  of  God,  therefore,  only  as  you  reflect  Life, 
Truth  and  Love." 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  exactly  understand  what 
you  mean  by  reflecting  God,"  said  Mr.  Lombard. 
"  You  say  that  all  life  reflects  God.  Now  a  tree  has 
life  and  so  does  an  animal,  but  neither  looks  like  man. 
Which  then  reflects?  In  a  mirror  there  is  but  one 
reflection  of  a  particular  subject.  Here  there  ap- 
pear to  be  many." 

**  There  are  several  ways  of  explaining  reflection," 
replied  Paul.  "  But  first  let  us  see  why  it  is  that  you 
say  that  the  different  forms  of  life  do  not  look  alike. 
Men,  trees  and  animals  do  look  differently  to  the  ma- 
terial sight;  but  these  material  forms  are  not  the 
real  life  of  the  things  referred  to.  We  do  not  know 
what  the  real  life  does  look  like,  and  we  never  will 
till  we  attain  to  spiritual  discernment,  for  life  is  of 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  243 

Spirit,  God.  Then  we  may  find  that  all  life  is  the 
same,  just  as  goodness  is  always  goodness,  and  truth 
is  always  truth.  No  matter  in  how  many  forms  they 
may  appear,  both  reflect  infinite  good,  God. 

"  Now  as  to  the  idea  of  reflection.  An  explana- 
tion which  most  appeals  to  me  is  to  be  found  in  this 
illustration:  In  a  certain  city  dwells  a  carpenter. 
We  have  heard  wonderful  stories  about  his  knowl- 
edge and  his  handicraft.  We  are  anxious  to  know 
him,  and  we  visit  the  city  to  become  acquainted  with 
him;  but  he  has  gone  away.  Then  says  one  of  his 
friends,  *  I  will  show  you  his  works.'  He  shows  us 
a  house.  This  house  reflects  one  of  the  carpenter's 
ideas.  Then  he  shows  us  a  church,  and  a  barn,  and 
a  boat,  and  a  cabinet,  and  a  wonderful  bridge.  All 
these  reflect  various  ideas  of  the  carpenter,  and  we 
are  beginning  to  see  the  carpenter;  for,  although 
no  single  one  of  his  works  reflects  all  of  his  thoughts, 
—  all  of  him,  —  each  one  of  his  works  reflects  some 
aspect  of  him.  If  we  would  absolutely  know  the  car- 
penter, we  must  see  everything  that  he  has  ever  done, 
everything  that  he  has  ever  made,  and  his  many 
thoughts  which  have  never  found  expression  in  works. 
Thus  it  is  with  God.  To  know  Him  completely,  we 
must  be  able  to  recognize  perfectly  every  one  of  His 
ideas,  of  which,  being  His  likeness,  man  is  the  highest 
and  the  most  wonderful.  It  takes  eternity  and  the 
entire  spiritual  universe  to  reflect  God ;  for,  as  it  is 
not  the  material  man,  but  the  spiritual  man,  which 
is  God's  image  and  likeness,  so  it  is  the  spiritual 
universe  and  not  the  material  that  reflects  all  of  God. 
At  present  we  are  able  to  see  God  only  in  these  re- 


244        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

flections,  and  that  only  as  we  become  purer  in  heart; 
but  we  are  promised  that  when  He  shall  be  completely 
revealed,  we  shall  be  able  to  *  see  Him  as  He  is.' 

"  In  this  connection,"  continued  Paul,  "  there  is 
another  thought  I  would  like  to  bring  out,  and  that 
is  the  thought  of  substance.  In  our  text-book  we 
are  taught  that  there  is  no  substance  in  matter,  as 
God,  Spirit,  is  the  only  substance.  Many  persons 
question  this,  because,  while  they  have  a  pretty  fair 
idea  of  what  matter  is,  they  do  not  understand  what 
is  meant  by  substance.  As  I  understand  it,  substance 
is  really  and  primarily  that  which  stands  under  some- 
thing. Now  what  is  it  that  stands  under  the  works 
of  the  carpenter  ?  Is  it  not  his  ideas  ?  Is  not  the  idea 
back  of  the  house,  and  the  idea  back  of  the  bridge, 
the  real  house  and  the  real  bridge,  which  cannot  be 
destroyed  as  long  as  the  carpenter  lives?  You  may 
burn  the  house  and  pull  down  the  bridge;  but  the 
substance  of  them,  the  thing  which  stands  under 
them,  as  it  were,  is  the  idea  in  the  mind  of  the  car- 
penter, and  he  can  build  them  up  as  many  times 
as  the  material  structures  may  be  burned  or  torn 
down.  If  the  carpenter  could  live  forever,  his  ideas, 
the  real  substance  of  his  works,  would  live  forever. 
Now  as  God  is  He  who  creates  and  sustains  life  in 
all  its  varied  forms,  He  is  the  underlying  Principle, 
the  substance  of  all  that  really  is.  As  we  become  pure 
enough  in  heart  to  see  God,  we  shall  be  able  to  see 
the  spiritual  substance  itself  and  not  simply  the 
counterfeit  expression  of  His  creation." 

The  note  of  a  bugle  rang  out  on  the  morning  air. 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  245 

Captain  Shway  started  to  his  feet  and  Oo  Toung- 
lay  looked  at  his  watch. 

"  A-me ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  I  had  no  idea  it  was 
time  for  the  review.  Where  has  the  morning  gone !  " 

All  arose  from  their  chairs  and  started  to  leave 
the  room. 

"  By  the  way,  Mr.  Anthony,"  continued  Oo 
Toung-lay,  "  my  real  mission  to  your  apartments  this 
morning  was  to  ask  you  to  join  our  party  in  wit- 
nessing the  review  to-day,  but  I  became  so  interested 
in  the  lesson  that  I  came  near  forgetting  it.  Cap- 
tain Shway,  are  you  to  be  in  command  of  our  es- 
cort? " 

"  If  the  princess  is  to  be  of  the  party." 

"  Very  well,  then.  Let  us  make  haste.  The  prin- 
cess will  be  waiting." 

All  hastily  left  the  room  but  Dhuleep  Mingh,  who 
sat  down  in  Paul's  chair  and  began  to  slowly  spell 
out  the  words  in  the  Bible. 

The  great  plateau  was  alive  with  people  when  Sofia 
and  her  escort  reached  the  parade  ground.  Her 
appearance,  clad  in  robes  of  regal  splendor,  was  the 
occasion  for  a  great  outburst  of  applause.  She  was 
mounted  upon  an  elephant  with  gorgeous  trappings, 
and  by  her  side  sat  her  father.  On  another  elephant, 
close  behind,  were  Paul  and  Mr.  Lombard.  Both 
were  surrounded  at  a  reasonable  distance  by  Sofia's 
troop,  under  command  of  Captain  Shway.  From 
his  position  on  horseback,  being  nearer  the  crowd 
than  those  on  the  elephants,  the  captain  caught 
scowling  looks  directed  at  Paul,  and  from  remarks 
he  overheard,  he  felt  assured  that  Moung  Than  and 


£46        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Boh  Galay  were  at  work ;  but,  keen  as  were  his  eyes, 
he  failed  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  two  mischief- 
makers. 

From  a  position  in  one  of  the  watch  towers  along 
the  city  Avail,  they,  however,  saw  the  captain,  and 
pointed  out,  to  a  couple  of  villainous  looking  hillmen 
at  their  side,  not  only  Paul,  but  also  Elizabeth  and 
the  other  Americans,  who  with  Nora  occupied  a  point 
of  vantage  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  plain. 

"  These  foreigners  are  trying  to  usurp  the  rights 
of  our  own  people,"  explained  Moung  Than  to  the 
hillmen.  "  This  will  not  only  be  a  profitable  job 
for  you,  but  it  will  be  for  the  good  of  the  state.  They 
are  worshippers  and  followers  of  evil  spirits,  and  seek 
to  gain  possession  of  the  manaws  of  the  prince  and 
his  sister." 

"  Have  no  fear,  noble  woon,"  said  the  most  villain- 
ous of  the  two.  "  Consider  the  work  already  done." 

"  Could  it  be  possible,  think  you,"  asked  Boh 
Galay,  "  that  the  man  was  purposely  placed  inside 
the  escort  of  the  princess  ?  " 

"  No!  "  replied  Moung  Than.  "  There  was  simply 
no  other  place  to  put  him,  if  it  is  true  that  the  prin- 
cess is  enamoured  of  him,  and  insists  on  having  him 
near  her." 

"  If  you  were  really  in  love  with  the  princess,  you 
would  hardlv  speak  of  her  in  that  manner." 

"  Of  course  I  am  in  love  with  her,"  replied  Moung 
Than  angrily.  "  Is  she  not  a  princess,  and  the  most 
beautiful  woman  in  the  whole  kingdom?  " 

"  Unless  it  is  the  foreign  woman,  whom  the  prince 
wishes  to  marry.  By  the  venerable  image  of  Gau- 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  247 

dama,  I  think  I  will  make  a  bargain  to  get  her  my- 
self.    I  am  sure  I  could  love  her." 

"  Then  why  prate  to  me  of  not  loving  the  princess? 
I  not  only  love  her,  but  she  shall  be  mine.  If  I  can- 
not play  successfully  at  love,  I  can  at  intrigue." 

"  You  had  best  have  a  care.  They  tell  me  Sindhu 
is  not  so  much  of  an  Englishman  that  he  cannot  be 
as  vengeful  as  a  Tartar."  Then  in  a  lower  tone, 
"  And  these  two  cutthroats  would  sell  both  of  us  if 
some  one  would  offer  them  a  higher  price." 

Moung  Than  turned  to  the  hirelings,  who  were 
certainly  listening  with  sufficient  interest  to  warrant 
Boh  Galay's  suspicion,  and  exclaimed,  "  You  have 
your  instructions ;  when  the  work  is  done,  your  pay 
is  ready.  Go !  " 

The  men  she-kohed  to  the  ground,  and,  jumping 
from  the  wall,  disappeared  in  the  crowd,  while  the 
two  conspirators  hastened  back  to  the  city. 

Over  the  other  side  of  the  field,  where  Nora  and 
Elizabeth  had  perched  themselves  to  watch  the  pro- 
ceedings, an  altogether  different  conversation  con- 
cerning the  princess  was  being  carried  on.  The  ar- 
rival of  Sofia  and  her  escort  had  caused  Nora  to 
ask: 

"  Is  that  the  princess  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  that  is  Mr.  Anthony  on  the  elephant 
behind,"  said  Elizabeth. 

'  You  mean  the  man  with  a  moustache  and  a  che- 
root in  his  mouth?  "  exclaimed  Nora  with  a  serious 
air. 

"  You  know  very  well  that  is  Mr.  Lombard," 
laughed  Elizabeth. 


«48        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Oh,  so  it  is !  Faith,  my  eyesight  must  be  getting 
bad ;  but  you  don't  really  mean  that  beardless  boy  ?  " 

"  Your  blarney  does  not  worry  me  in  the  least," 
said  Elizabeth.  "  If  you  do  not  think  that  he  is  old 
enough  to  be  wise,  ask  Mrs.  Johnson." 

"  Sure,  I'll  ask  Elder  Meredith." 

Elizabeth's  face  became  suddenly  serious.  "  Un- 
less you  want  to  start  a  discussion  that  will  last  the 
balance  of  the  day,  you  will  do  no  such  thing;  but 
is  the  princess  the  one  who  was  with  the  prince  on 
that  fatal  day?" 

"  I  can't  tell.  She  has  so  much  on  her  head  it 
hides  her  face.  Is  she  in  love  with  this  wonderful 
Mr.  Anthony,  too?  " 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  *  too  ?  '  " 

"  Sure,  any  one  can  see  that  you  are  head  over 
ears,"  laughed  Nora. 

"  I  am  no  such  thing,"  declared  Elizabeth  em- 
phatically. "  I  would  as  soon  think  of  falling  in  love 
with  Elder  Meredith!  I  am  not  out  here  to  fall  in 
love  with  men,  as  I  told  Sofia ;  I  am  out  here  to  teach 
the  heathen." 

"  Oh,  she  accused  you  of  it,  too,  did  she  ?  And 
what  did  she  say  to  your  very  wise  remark  ?  " 

Elizabeth  laughed.  "  She  said  she  was  glad  of 
it,  and  when  I  asked  her  which  she  meant,  she  said, 
my  not  falling  in  love;  she  said  she  did  not  think, 
however,  that  the  heathen  needed  any  teaching." 

Nora  became  absorbed  in  her  thoughts  for  several 
minutes ;  then  she  said :  "  The  princess  is  a  wise 
woman.  I  think  that  I  quite  agree  with  her." 

Things  were  now  beginning  to  happen  out  on  the 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  249 

parade  ground.  As  the  bugle  of  the  Ninety-second 
sounded  "  Attention !  "  and  the  long  line  of  horsemen 
came  to  a  present,  from  out  the  city,  with  bands 
playing,  came  the  Bajipurian  army  with  banners 
flying.  First  came  the  lictors,  prancing  along  with 
their  fasces  and  hoarse  shouting,  yelling  to  every- 
body to  clear  the  way,  regardless  of  the  fact  that 
the  populace  was  all  down  on  its  knees  by  the  way- 
side, she-kohing  reverently.  Behind  them  came  the 
imperial  band.  Next,  undisturbed  by  the  din, 
stalked  along  composedly  seven  great  elephants,  all 
splendid  tuskers,  in  complete  war  array,  with  fighting 
howdahs  on  their  backs,  and  brilliant  housings  trail- 
ing to  the  ground.  One  swings  along  majestically 
alone,  while  the  others  are  in  pairs.  On  the  leader, 
clad  in  brilliant  uniform,  sits  Prince  Sindhu.  At  the 
first  glimpse  of  him,  the  rest  of  the  review  loses  all 
interest  for  Nora. 

"  It's  him !  It's  him !  "  she  fairly  shouted,  regard- 
less of  all  rules  of  grammar.  "  Isn't  he  perfectly 
splendid?  " 

"  If  I  say  that  he  is,  I  suppose  that  you  will  also 
accuse  me  of  falling  in  love  with  him,"  replied  Eliza- 
beth, although  she  well  knew  a  reply  was  not  ex- 
pected. 

"  Oh,  no,  I  declare  I  won't.  And  you  must  tell 
me  all  about  him.  You  may  even  gush  if  you  want 
to,  and  I  won't  say  a  word !  " 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  amused  auditors. 

"  I  can't  imagine  Miss  Raymond  gushing  over 
anything,"  ventured  Mrs.  Johnson ;  "  but  what  she 


PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

does  not  know  about  Prince  Sindhu  is  not  worth 
knowing !  " 

Elizabeth  gave  Mrs.  Johnson  a  deprecatory  look. 

"  Well,  is  it  not  so  ?  "  continued  the  ingenuous 
little  body.  "  He  spent  most  of  the  time  on  the  boat 
reading  his  Indian  love-stories  to  you." 

Nora  gave  a  fearsome  little  laugh,  and  fastened 
her  eyes  intently  upon  Elizabeth,  who  replied  with 
an  attempt  at  indifference :  "  Well,  possibly ;  but  he 
was  our  host,  and,  if  he  wanted  to  read  to  me,  I 
could  not  very  well  refuse  to  listen;  but  really  he 
is  a  very  charming  young  man,  and  reads  his  favorite 
Sakoontala  very  well." 

"  Did  you  not  try  to  convert  him?  "  asked  Nora. 

"  Yes,  and  he  laughed  in  my  face.  Like  all  the 
rest  of  you,"  declared  Elizabeth,  with  much  spirit, 
"  he  seemed  to  think  that  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  fall 
in  love;  but  I  think  I  have  given  him  to  understand 
better." 

Both  Mrs.  Johnson  and  Nora  opened  their  eyes  in 
amazement. 

"  You  do  not  really  mean  that  he  proposed,  do 
you?  "  asked  Mrs.  Johnson. 

"  No,"  replied  Elizabeth  emphatically,  "  he  did 
not ;  and  I  think  I  have  given  him  to  understand  that 
ihe  need  not !  " 

"  He  will  never  be  satisfied  with  anything  short 
of  an  absolute  refusal,**  declared  Mrs.  Johnson.  "  I 
know  the  signs  too  well." 

Nora  listened  to  Mrs.  Johnson  with  a  stupefied 
look  in  her  eyes.  Then  she  looked  at  Elizabeth,  and 
*hen  back  again  to  Mrs.  Johnson.  Finally  she  let  her 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  251 

gaze  wander  out  on  to  the  plain,  where  the  subject 
of  their  conversation  sat  upon  his  war  elephant,  sur- 
rounded by  his  bohs  and  his  woons,  the  very  person- 
ification of  Oriental  royalty  and  splendor.  The  girl 
was  simply  under  the  spell  of  her  environments,  — 
in  the  very  realization  of  her  day  dreams  of  the  past 
few  weeks,  —  and  now,  to  have  her  place  usurped  by 
another  was  more  than  she  could  bear.  She  suddenly 
covered  her  face  with  her  hands  and  burst  into  tears, 
—  tears  of  anger  rather  than  disappointment. 

The  members  of  the  little  group  looked  at  each 
other  in  amazement.  Of  the  number,  Elizabeth  alone 
understood  the  trouble,  and,  putting  her  arm  about 
the  girl,  she  tried  to  comfort  her.  "  There !  There, 
dear !  "  she  said.  "  Do  not  cry !  It  will  all  come  out 
right!" 

Elizabeth's  sympathy  did  not  meet  with  the  re- 
sponse she  had  expected.  Nora  drew  herself  angrily 
away,  and  raising  her  head,  exclaimed  fiercely: 

"  You  have  been  deceiving  me,  Elizabeth  Raymond ! 
You  have  been  deceiving  me!  You  knew  my  story 
and  you  have  treated  me  as  a  child.  I  am  not  a  child, 
and  I  hate  you !  I  hate  you !  " 

Elizabeth  drew  back  as  though  she  had  received 
a  blow,  and  for  a  moment  a  sharp  retort  was  on  her 
tongue;  but  she  quickly  realized  the  girl's  position 
and  simply  said: 

"  You  are  mistaken,  Nora !  Sadly  mistaken. 
When  you  are  calmer  you  will  see  it  —  you  must  see 
it!" 

It  was  a  most  embarrassing  situation  for  the  other 
members  of  the  group,  and  Elder  Meredith,  to  re- 


252        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

lieve  the  situation,  called  attention  to  the  manoeuvers, 
which  at  this  particular  time  were  most  interesting. 
A  body  of  native  horsemen,  with  lances  set,  were  gal- 
loping rapidly  past  the  prince,  while  across  each 
end  of  the  immense  field  a  battalion  of  English  drag- 
oons was  sitting  at  attention,  ready  to  advance,  at 
the  word  of  command,  to  the  position  which  the  na- 
tive horsemen  were  rapidly  vacating. 

As  the  bugle  sounded  "  Forward ! "  the  riders  in 
both  battalions  put  spurs  to  their  horses  and  dashed 
forward  to  form  in  line  before  the  prince.  As  the 
battalion  coming  from  the  north  passed  the  princess 
and  her  escort,  they  raised  their  sabres  to  a  salute 
and  gave  forth  a  hearty  English  cheer.  It  was  a 
most  inspiring  sight  and  all  eyes  were  turned  thither, 
when  suddenly  the  great  crowd  was  electrified  by  the 
startling  report  of  a  rifle-shot,  which  seemed  to  come 
from  the  retiring  native  horsemen.  At  the  same  in- 
stant, a  form,  on  the  back  of  the  elephant  next  the 
princess,  was  seen  to  throw  up  its  hands  and  to  fall 
face  downward  in  the  howdah. 

A  cry  of  horror  burst  from  the  assembled  multi- 
tude, and  Sofia  turned  and  hid  her  face  on  her 
father's  shoulder.  From  no  quarter  of  the  field  was 
the  cry  more  piercing  than  from  where  the  Americans 
were  stationed.  They  had  all  come  to  realize  that 
there  was  a  sentiment  against  Paul,  and  they  took 
it  for  granted  that  he  was  the  victim.  In  a  moment 
they  were  undeceived,  for  it  was  Paul  who  was  bend- 
ing over  and  supporting  his  companion  in  his  arms. 
The  bullet  intended  for  him  had  struck  Mr.  Lombard. 

Quicker   than   it    can   be  told,   all  was   confusion. 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  253 

The  populace  crowded  forward,  and  it  was  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  Captain  Shway  could  hold 
them  back.  Some  thought  it  an  attack  on  the  prin- 
cess, while  others  thought  it  a  shot  from  ambushed 
Tartars.  Prince  Sindhu  hastened  forward  on  his 
elephant,  while  Colonel  Holliday  quickly  took  control 
of  the  situation  by  ordering  the  dragoons  to  sur- 
round the  princess  and  her  party,  and  to  clear  away 
the  rabble.  Before  the  troopers  could  carry  out  the 
order,  the  ambulance  corps  was  dashing  across  the 
field,  and  by  the  time  the  wounded  man  could  be 
taken  from  the  elephant,  Major  O'Keefe  and  his 
staff  were  at  the  scene. 

But  quicker  than  the  ambulance  corps  were  the 
thoughts  of  Paul  Anthony.  Realizing  the  sudden 
attack  of  error,  he  had  met  it  with  a  declaration  of 
the  truth,  and,  by  the  time  the  ambulance  arrived, 
Mr.  Lombard  had  revived  sufficiently  to  assist  him- 
self into  the  vehicle,  and  designate  the  location  of 
the  wound. 

"  I  am  not  sure  that  I  need  the  services  of  a  sur- 
geon," he  said  to  Major  O'Keefe  as  he  began  an 
examination. 

"  Nonsense !  "  exclaimed  the  surgeon.  "  It  is  a 
bad  wound  in  the  chest,  and  by  good  rights  you 
ought  to  be  dying  now ;  you  are  simply  in  luck  that 
the  bullet  missed  a  vital  spot." 

"  I  think  I  should  be  dying  now  if  it  had  not  been 
for  Mr.  Anthony's  prayer." 

Major  O'Keefe  looked  at  the  wounded  man  as 
though  he  were  losing  his  mind. 

"Humph!"  he  ejaculated.     "It  will  take  more 


254        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

than  prayers  to  save  you.  Over  to  the  hospital  tent 
with  him,"  he  said  to  his  attendants,  "  while  we  find 
that  bullet." 

Paul  stood  silently  by,  realizing  the  truth  as  he 
understood  it. 

"  What  do  you  think,  Mr.  Anthony,"  asked  Mr. 
Lombard ;  "  do  you  think  it  is  necessary  for  me  to 
go  to  the  hospital?  " 

Again  the  major  looked  at  the  speaker  as  though 
doubting  the  man's  sanity  and  exclaimed  angrily: 
"  Of  course  it's  necessary  to  go  to  the  hospital,  re- 
gardless of  what  Mr.  Anthony  or  any  other  preacher 
think.  I  am  in  charge  of  this  case,  and  we  will  have 
no  foolishness !  " 

Mr.  Lombard  made  no  reply,  but  his  eyes  sought 
Paul's  in  a  questioning  look. 

"  *  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now,'  "  quoted  Paul.  "  There 
seems  to  be  no  other  way,  as  the  surgeon  has  de- 
clared himself  in  charge  of  the  case,  and  seems  to 
have  the  power  to  make  good  his  assertion,  but  we 
will  know  that  man's  life  is  God,  and  can  therefore 
be  destroyed  neither  by  bullet  nor  probe." 

"  A  religious  crank,"  was  the  surgeon's  mental 
comment,  as  he  ordered  the  ambulance  to  drive  on. 

In  the  meantime  Prince  Sindhu  had  not  been  idle. 
As  soon  as  he  had  satisfied  himself  as  to  Mr.  Lom- 
bard's condition,  he  had  called  Captain  Shway  and 
given  imperative  orders  that  the  would-be  assassins 
be  apprehended  and  brought  before  him  as  soon  as  he 
returned  to  the  city.  Then  he  resumed  his  station 
in  the  field  and  the  review  was  continued. 

The  incident  had  most  abruptly  terminated  the 


UNDER    THE    SHADOW  255 

conversation  between  Elizabeth  and  Nora,  and  af- 
forded the  others  an  opportunity  to  slip  away  to  the 
city  after  learning  of  the  condition  of  the  wounded 
man.  Nora  withdrew  to  her  father's  tent,  and  there 
gave  herself  up  to  thoughts  of  anger  and  jealousy 
so  foreign  to  her  usual  happy  disposition  that  it 
seemed  to  her  that  all  joy  had  gone  out  of  her  life. 

"  How  could  she  do  such  a  thing?  "  was  the  burden 
of  Nora's  unhappy  thoughts.  "  When  she  knew  my 
story,  how  could  she  be  so  false?  " 

So  real  had  Nora's  day  dream  seemed  that  it  had 
never  so  much  as  occurred  to  her  that  she  did  not 
even  know  Prince  Sindhu,  or  that  he  was  practically 
ignorant  of  her  very  existence. 

To  no  one  did  the  events  of  the  day  bring  greater 
anguish  of  mind  than  to  Sofia.  The  attempt  upon 
Paul's  life  not  only  filled  her  with  the  deepest  con- 
cern for  his  future  safety,  but  gave  her  a  feeling- 
of  the  strongest  self-condemnation,  as  being  respon- 
sible for  existing  conditions. 

"  He  is  certain  to  learn  the  truth  now,"  she  kept 
repeating  to  herself ;  "  and  when  he  does,  I  know  he 
will  despise  me !  " 

She  pressed  her  hands  to  her  bosom  in  the  depth 
of  her  humiliation  and  despair,  as  she  watched  him 
caring  for  his  stricken  companion.  His  tenderness 
for  the  wounded  man  filled  her  with  a  sudden  deter- 
mination. Despise  her  as  he  might,  he  should  know 
the  truth.  He  should  know  the  truth  about  the 
trouble  she  had  brought  upon  him  and  about  her 
unmaidenly  action.  She  would  tell  him  herself  — 
this  very  night. 


556        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Of  all  those  with  whom  this  story  deals,  Paul  was 
the  only  one  who  was  perfectly  undisturbed  by  the 
•events  of  the  day.  "  Thousands  shall  fall  at  thy 
side,"  he  repeated  to  himself,  "  and  ten  thousand  at 
thy  right  hand;  but  it  shall  not  come  nigh  thee." 
He  realized  what  it  meant  to  "  abide  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty,"  and  he  had  perfect  faith, 
faith  born  of  understanding,  that  he  was  protected. 
All  the  others  were  depending  upon  their  material 
senses  for  evidence  of  what  was  happening;  and  all 
were  in  reality  suffering  for  their  own  or  others'  false 
belief*. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

PAUL   AND    SOFIA 

IT  was  with  a  painful  sense  of  being  misunder- 
stood, not  only  by  Nora,  but  by  her  associates,  that 
Elizabeth  returned  to  her  apartments  that  afternoon. 
There  seemed  to  be  no  one  to  whom  she  could  go  for 
solace  or  advice.  Yes,  there  was  one,  that  God  whom 
she  was  just  beginning  to  know  as  infinite  Truth  and 
Love.  Locking  her  door,  she  threw  herself  upon  her 
knees  and  sought  guidance  from  above. 

How  many  times  before  had  she  done  the  same; 
and  while  she  had  heretofore  found  a  certain  peace  in 
pouring  out  her  supplication  to  God  and  His  Christ, 
as  she  now  sought  help,  she  felt,  as  she  never  had 
before,  how  weak  were  her  prayers.  She  realized  how 
few  of  them  had  seemingly  been  answered.  And  she 
further  realized  how  little  she  really  knew  of  God 
and  her  relation  to  Him.  All  the  time  she  was  pray- 
ing she  heard  ringing  in  her  ears  Paul's  words :  "  You 
have  not  yet  learned  to  pray  aright." 

Intuitively  she  felt  that  this  was  so.  It  was  the 
only  way  to  account  for  her  repeated  failures  to  get 
results,  for  surely  there  was  no  mistaking  the  prom- 
ise :  "  Ask  what  ye  will  in  my  name  and  it  shall  be 
done  unto  you."  What  did  it  mean  to  "  ask  in  my 

257 


258        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

name  ?  "  Perhaps  that  was  what  she  did  not  under- 
stand. She  could  easily  see  why  she  could  not  do  the 
works  of  Jesus  and  the  apostles,  because,  while  she 
professed  to  believe  in  him,  and  did  believe  in  him  in 
a  way,  she  had  not  such  faith  as  he  must  have  meant 
when  he  said :  "  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mus- 
tard seed,  ye  shall  say  unto  this  mountain,  Remove 
hence  to  yonder  place ;  and  it  shall  remove ;  and  noth- 
ing shall  be  impossible  unto  you."  Certainly  many 
things  —  even  the  simplest  things  —  were  impossible 
to  her. 

Then  her  mind  took  up  another  train  of  thought. 
What  was  that  truth  concerning  which  Jesus  so  em- 
phatically said :  "  Ye  shall  know  the  truth  and  the 
truth  shall  make  you  free,"  and  concerning  which  St. 
Paul  spoke,  when  he  declared  that  "  the  spirit  of  life 
in  Christ  Jesus  has  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death."  She  felt  that  she  must  know,  and  Paul 
Anthony  seemed  to  be  the  only  person  to  whom  she 
could  turn  for  enlightenment.  She  had  been  study- 
ing with  Elder  Meredith  for  more  than  a  year,  and 
he  evidently  did  not  know  any  more  about  it  than  she 
did.  As  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson,  she  had  talked 
with  them  quite  enough  to  know  that  they  were  also 
groping  in  the  dark.  She,  therefore,  made  up  her 
mind  that  she  would  go  to  Paul  that  night,  regardless 
of  any  one's  advice  to  the  contrary,  and  ask  him  to 
explain  to  her  what  he  understood  by  the  truth.  She 
had  seen  enough  of  his  works  to  feel  certain  that  they 
•were  of  God,  and  she  felt  that  she  must  know  more 
of  how  they  were  accomplished,  if  she  was  ever  to 


PAUL    AND    SOFIA  259' 

succeed  in  her  efforts  to  Christianize  not  only  Burma, 
but  her  own  self. 

Another  who  had  determined  to  have  a  talk  with 
Paul  that  night  was  Prince  Sindhu.  He  had  not  paid 
much  attention  to  Paul  since  his  return  from  the 
frontier,  and  he  felt  that  it  was  but  common  courtesy 
that  he  should  have  a  talk  with  him  on  various  mat- 
ters. It  began,  also,  to  look  as  though  the  trouble 
with  the  Tartars  was  not  to  be  so  great  after  all, 
and  he  wanted  to  begin  upon  his  water- works  project. 

In  order  to  relieve  his  mind  of  some  of  its  doubts 
and  fears,  Sindhu  also  determined  that  he  would  in- 
advertently sound  Paul  upon  his  domestic  affairs  and 
see  if  he  could  obtain  any  idea  of  what  might  be  his 
feelings  toward  Sofia.  If  he  should  discover  that 
Paul  had  the  proper  admiration  for  her,  he  deter- 
mined that,  in  accordance  with  the  Burmese  custom,  he 
would  have  his  father  broach  to  him  the  subject  of 
marriage,  feeling  that  this  would  dispose  of  all  gos- 
sip which  was  now  rife.  Lastly,  he  had  a  desire  to- 
ask  Paul  a  few  questions  about  his  religious  beliefs 
and  to  find  out  where  he  could  acquire  a  copy  of  the 
little  book,  about  which  he  had  thought  much  since 
that  night  in  the  wilderness. 

As  regards  the  attempt  upon  Paul's  life,  he  deter- 
mined for  the  present  to  make  no  mention  other  than 
the  natural  trend  of  conversation  might  demand,  nor 
to  tell  him  of  the  arrest  of  the  two  conspirators.  His 
admiration  for  the  American  had  increased  from  day 
to  day,  as  he  had  seen  his  perfectly  ordered  life ;  and 
his  gratitude  to  Paul  for  what  he  had  done  for  his 
father  was  most  profound.  Had  Paul  asked  him  for 


260        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

a  goodly  portion  of  his  fortune,  he  would  have  given 
it  to  him. 

Upon  Sindhu's  return  from  the  review,  the  first 
matter  that  had  demanded  his  attention  was  the  ex- 
amination of  Moung  Than  and  Boh  Galay,  who  had 
been  easily  apprehended  by  Captain  Shway  and  his 
men,  just  as  they  were  entering  the  home  of  the 
former.  They  had  not  looked  for  such  speedy  action 
upon  the  part  of  their  hirelings,  and,  therefore,  had 
been  taken  entirely  by  surprise.  When  placed  under 
arrest  both  stoutly  maintained  their  entire  ignorance 
of  the  attempted  assassination,  and  denied  that  they 
had  ever  given  a  second  thought  to  the  conversation 
which  they  had  had  with  the  captain  three  days  pre- 
vious. 

At  first  Sindhu  was  inclined  to  be  lenient  with  the 
young  men,  promising  a  light  punishment  if  they 
would  tell  where  he  might  apprehend  the  real  culprits ; 
but  their  assumption  of  an  air  of  injured  innocence 
and  bravado  so  angered  him  at  last  that  he  ordered 
them  into  solitary  confinement,  threatening  that  they 
should  meet  with  the  extreme  penalty  of  the  law  if 
they  did  not  make  a  confession  by  the  following  noon. 

The  examination,  which  was  conducted  with  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  technicality,  consumed  the 
greater  part  of  the  afternoon,  and  it  was  already 
dark  and  the  lamps  had  been  lighted  before  Sindhu 
found  leisure  to  pay  his  proposed  visit.  Lighting 
a  cheroot,  he  left  his  own  apartments,  and  crossing 
the  large  rotunda  that  was  formed  by  the  connection 
of  the  main  structure  and  the  wings,  he  proceeded 
toward  Paul's  chambers.  As  he  turned  into  the  long 


PAUL    AND    SOFIA  261 

hall  which  led  to  the  north  wing,  he  suddenly  halted 
and  uttered  an  exclamation  of  angry  surprise,  for 
even  as  he  looked,  the  door  to  Paul's  room  opened 
and  Sofia  came  forth.  She  glanced  neither  to  the 
right  nor  the  left,  but  was  hastening  away  with  an 
expression  Sindhu  had  never  before  seen  upon  her 
face  when  he  confronted  her,  his  eyes  aflame  with 
anger.  Seizing  her  by  the  arm,  he  demanded  an 
explanation. 

To  say  that  Sofia  was  taken  by  surprise  would 
be  putting  it  mildly ;  but,  great  as  was  her  surprise, 
it  was  no  greater  than  was  Paul's  an  hour  previous, 
when,  in  response  to  a  knock,  he  had  opened  his  door 
to  find  Sofia  without,  and  evidently  laboring  under 
great  excitement.  She  entered  the  room  and  hastily 
closed  the  door  behind  her.  Leaning  her  back  against 
it,  she  broke  forth  into  an  incoherent  explanation, 
which  Paul  would  not  in  the  slightest  have  under- 
stood, had  he  not  been  familiar  with  the  facts  she  was 
trying  to  impart.  He  did  not  interrupt  her,  how- 
ever, until  she  had  finished.  Then  he  said  quietly : 

"  Now  that  you  have  been  pleased  to  honor  me  with 
a  visit,  Princess,  let  us  sit  down  and  talk  this  matter 
over  like  two  sensible  people." 

He  drew  a  big  wicker-work  rocker  over  by  the 
door.  She  sank  into  it  without  a  protest,  for  now 
that  the  strain  of  making  the  confession  was  over, 
she  was  on  the  verge  of  a  collapse;  but  his  words 
and  manner  reassured  her,  and  she  sat  expectant  of 
what  he  might  say.  That  her  confession  had  not  in 
the  slightest  altered  his  attitude  of  respect  toward 
her  she  could  but  recognize,  and  her  heart  beat  a 


262        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

joyous  tattoo  against  her  breast.  Seating  himself 
in  a  chair  beside  the  large  table,  over  which  a  lamp  of 
odd  design  diffused  a  mellow  light,  he  said  calmly : 

"  All  that  you  have  told  me,  Princess,  I  have  known 
for  days." 

She  looked  at  him  in  surprise,  scarcely  able  to  be- 
lieve the  evidence  of  her  ears. 

"  You  have  known  it  for  days?  "  she  slowly  re- 
peated after  him.  "  You  have  known  it  for  days  and 
still  have  not  despised  me?  " 

"  Have  you  noticed  any  change  in  my  attitude 
toward  you?  " 

She  knew  that  she  had  not.  The  only  difference 
in  their  relations  had  existed  because  of  her  avoidance 
of  him,  —  because  of  her  fear  that  she  might  do  or 
say  something  which  would  lead  to  a  revelation  of 
the  meaning  of  her  action,  and  the  possible  con- 
struction he  might  put  upon  it.  She  knew  that  he  did 
not  expect  an  answer  to  his  question  and  yet  she  felt 
that  she  must  say  something,  —  that  she  must  make 
some  excuse. 

"  I  do  not  know  how  I  ever  came  to  do  such  a 
thing,"  she  finally  said.  "  No  matter  what  my  feel- 
ings toward  you  may  have  been,  I  cannot  see  how  I 
could  have  been  so  unmaidenly." 

"  I  do  not  see  how  you  could  have  done  otherwise," 
he  replied. 

She  shook  her  head  as  she  said :  "  I  am  afraid  you 
do  not  understand  what  it  all  means." 

"  I  understand  perfectly  what  your  people  think 
it  means,"  was  his  rejoinder,  "but  you  and  I  know 
that  it  simply  means  that  you  wished  to  show  me  the 


PAUL    AND    SOFIA  263 

same  courtesy  your  brother  did  to  Miss  Raymond. 
As  you  said  at  the  time,  we  understood  that  his 
salute  was  a  simple  act  of  courtesy.  She  really  would 
have  felt  that  he  had  not  acted  the  part  of  a  gentle- 
man had  he  not  so  recognized  her.  Your  suggestion 
that  we  pay  our  respects  together  to  the  cleverness 
of  your  horsemen  was  simply  a  courtesy  to  me.  I 
might  even  have  felt  slighted  had  you  not  granted 
me  some  special  attention.  Is  not  that  the  very 
simple  explanation?  " 

He  completely  ignored  all  reference  to  her  implied 
affection  for  himself,  and  laughed  softly,  as  he  con- 
tinued: "  Come,  let  us  forget  the  entire  incident." 

"  I  wish  that  I  could !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  but  they 
will  not  let  me." 

Paul  leaned  forward  as  he  exclaimed  with  un- 
feigned surprise: 

"  They  will  not  let  you?  Surely,  Princess,  your 
simple  act  of  courtesy  to  a  stranger  guest  has  not 
placed  you  in  any  false  or  unpleasant  position?  " 

"  It  is  not  of  myself  I  am  thinking,"  she  answered 
hastily  and  with  earnestness ;  "  it  is  of  you.  The 
attempt  upon  your  life  this  morning  ought  to  convey 
my  meaning.  If  I  am  placed  in  a  false  position  it  is 
my  own  fault;  but  there  is  no  justice  in  your  being 
made  to  suffer  for  my  folly !  " 

Her  earnestness  in  regard  to  his  safety  caused  her 
to  forget  her  embarrassment.  She  sat  upright  in 
her  chair  and  her  face  flushed.  The  evident  truth- 
fulness of  her  assertion  impressed  Paul.  He  had 
always  admired  her  for  her  beauty  and  her  intelli- 
gence, but  the  strength  of  character  that  he  now 


£64        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

came  to  see  and  understand  caused  him  to  hold  her  in 
much  higher  esteem.  After  a  brief  pause  in  which 
he  studied  her  face  carefully  he  said: 

"  You  told  me  once,  Princess,  that  we  did  not  seem 
to  know  each  other  very  well.  I  see  now  that  you 
were  right.  I  begin  to  see  that  I  have  hardly  known 
you  at  all.  I  have  looked  upon  you  as  a  good  woman, 
as  a  beautiful  woman ;  now  I  recognize  you  as  a 
noble  woman.  It  is  human  to  err.  It  is  the  result 
of  our  sense  of  separation  from  God.  Every  action 
by  which  we  seek  to  correct  an  error  is  a  step  toward 
destroying  that  sense  and  regaining  our  unity  with 
Him  —  with  Truth  and  Love." 

She  started  to  reply,  but  he  did  not  permit  it. 

"  Let  me  finish,"  he  continued.  "  As  to  my  being 
made  to  suffer  for  your  folly,  that  is  impossible.  We 
can  only  suffer  for  our  own  sins,  and  then  only  in 
proportion  as  we  believe  in  their  reality.  As  we  come 
to  realize  the  truth  about  any  evil  —  error  —  it  loses 
its  power  to  make  us  suffer." 

She  failed  to  understand  the  force  of  his  logic  and 
impulsively  declared :  "  If  the  aim  of  the  marksman 
had  been  true,  or  if,  perchance,  the  assassin  had  not 
mistaken  the  person,  you  would  now  be  suffering  for 
my  evil  deed,  just  as  Mr.  Lombard  is.  I  am  so  sorry 
for  him,"  she  exclaimed  parenthetically.  "  And  yet 
you  say  that  it  is  impossible  for  one  person  to  suffer 
for  the  sins  of  another." 

"  Is  suffering  in  mind  or  in  matter?  "  asked  Paul. 
"  In  mind,  to  be  sure,  since  the  material  body,  when 
deprived  of  mind  either  by  what  we  term  death  or 
by  anesthetics,  contains  not  in  itself  the  power  to 


PAUL    AND    SOFIA  265 

suffer.  A  realization  of  the  truth  that  man  is  a  spir- 
itual being  destroys  even  the  sense  of  bodily  pain. 
The  one  who  understands  this  science  does  not  suffer, 
except  as  he  may  be  unable  to  lay  aside  his  own  false 
beliefs.  Therefore,  when  I  know  the  truth  I  cannot 
suffer  for  your  misdeeds,  no  matter  how  much  I  may 
seem  to  do  so.  This  is  Christianly  scientific." 

Sofia  looked  at  him  as  one  deprived  of  his  senses. 
"  Do  you  expect  me  to  believe  that?  "  she  asked. 

"  Absolutely ! " 

"  Impossible !    How  can  I  ?  " 

"  Because  it  is  the  truth !  " 

"  Truth !  "  she  exclaimed  vehemently.  "  Truth  ? 
You  are  always  talking  about  truth.  What  is  truth? 
From  the  beginning  of  what  you  are  pleased  to  call 
the  Christian  era,  thousands  have  been  asking  this 
question.  Now  I  ask:  What  is  truth?  What  is 
this  truth  which  your  great  teacher,  Jesus,  said 
should  make  men  free?  To  the  governor  who  gave 
him  over  to  death  he  said  that  he  came  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  truth;  but  when  the  governor  asked: 
*  What  is  truth?  '  he  did  not  reply." 

"  No,"  said  Paul  gently,  although  he  had  been 
much  surprised  at  her  outbreak,  "  but  during  the 
next  four  days  his  marvellous  work  answered  the  ques- 
tion, when  by  his  resurrection  he  bore  witness  to  this 
great  truth." 

Sofia  did  not  understand.  Paul  was  speaking  to 
her  in  an  entirely  new  tongue. 

"  To  me  that  is  no  answer,"  she  said.  "  I  ask  you 
now:  What  is  truth?  What  is  the  truth  about  you 
—  about  me  —  about  anything?  " 


£66        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

She  had  risen  and  stood  before  him  with  heaving 
bosom.  There  was  no  doubt  of  her  earnestness.  He 
studied  for  a  moment  how  best  to  answer  her  so  that 
she  would  understand.  She  misunderstood  even  his 
hesitation  and  again  asked: 

"  What  is  the  truth  about  anything?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,"  answered  Paul  slowly,  "  the 
truth  about  anything  is  all  there  is  about  it.  The 
untruth  —  error  —  does  not  exist,  no  matter  how 
real  it  may  seem.  Take  our  own  case.  We  are  not 
betrothed,  although  fifty  thousand  of  your  subjects 
think  that  we  are.  If  all  the  world  thought  so  it 
would  not  make  it  so." 

At  his  words  she  covered  her  eyes  with  her  hands 
arid  sank  back  into  her  chair.  She  did  not  realize 
what  the  outcome  of  this  explanation  might  be,  but 
she  felt  that  this  was  a  way  he  had  of  telling  her 
that  he  did  not  love  her,  and  never  would.  He  saw 
at  once  that  she  had  not  understood,  and  his  voice 
grew  very  soft  and  tender  as  he  said  earnestly : 

"  Please  do  not  misunderstand  me,  Princess.  I  did 
not  intend  to  pain  you,  but  used  this  as  an  illustra- 
tion whose  force  we  could  both  feel.  Let  us  take 
another  illustration :  The  earth  is  round.  For  thou- 
sands of  years  every  person  on  the  earth  thought  it 
was  flat,  and  they  suffered  from  that  belief.  Finally, 
I  know  not  by  what  inspiration,  one  man  demon- 
strated to  his  own  satisfaction  that  it  was  round. 
Still  the  world  did  not  believe  until  he  proved  it  so 
that  all  could  understand.  Did  his  discovery  make 
it  round?  No  more  than  did  the  belief  of  all  the 
other  people  make  it  flat.  It  always  was  round,  and 


PAUL    AND    SOFIA  267 

that  truth  about  it  was  all  there  was  about  it.  The 
erroneous  belief  about  it  was  simply  the  lack  of 
knowledge  —  nothing. 

"  Truth,  then,  is  something  that  can  be  proved  — 
can  be  demonstrated.  A  lie  cannot  be,  though  the 
world  may  have  believed  it  the  truth  for  ages. 
Truth  is  real.  Error,  the  lie,  is  unreal.  Truth  is 
the  substance  of  all  that  really  is.  Truth  is  divine 
Principle,  the  cause  and  creator  of  all.  Truth  is 
God." 

"  And  this,"  said  Sofia  slowly,  "  is  the  truth  to 
which  your  great  prophet  came  to  bear  witness?  " 

"  Yes,  this  and  the  fact  that  man  —  the  real  man 
made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God  —  is  a  spirit- 
ual and  not  a  material  being.  This  truth  Jesus 
demonstrated  time  and  again  by  healing  the  sick  and 
raising  the  dead.  His  final  demonstration  was  his  own 
resurrection  and  ascension.  This  truth  has  since 
been  demonstrated  by  many  others,  —  is  being  demon- 
strated to-day  by  unnumbered  thousands  all  over 
the  world,  —  it  reveals  God,  the  omniscient,  omnipo- 
tent and  omnipresent  being,  as  Life,  Truth  and 
Love." 

Slowly  the  understanding  of  Paul's  words  dawned 
upon  the  girl  and  she  lost  that  sense  of  personality 
which  his  former  words  had  caused.  She  said  noth- 
ing, but  remained  lost  in  thought.  Paul  waited  a 
moment  to  give  her  time  to  compose  herself,  and  then 
continued : 

"  As  regards  the  matter  which  brought  you  here, 
Princess,  let  us  forget  it.  Let  it  be  as  though  it  had 
not  happened." 


268        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  I  cannot  do  that,"  she  replied.  "  Even  if  I  could 
forget  it,  they  would  not  let  me." 

"  Have  no  fear  for  me,  Princess,  but  try  to  realize 
that  the  anger,  malice  and  hatred  which  are  respon- 
sible for  the  shooting  this  morning  are  without  cause, 
without  substance,  and  are,  therefore,  unreal  and 
powerless." 

The  girl  shook  her  head  and  looked  at  him  with 
tearful  eyes,  but  he  smiled  back  at  her  a  smile  which 
was  as  free  from  care  as  that  of  a  child  on  its 
mother's  knee. 

"  If  you  cannot  do  that,"  he  said,  "  you  can  at 
least  know  that  I  would  willingly  lay  down  my  phys- 
ical life  to  save  you  pain.  If  you  have  been  sad 
because  you  feared  that  I  might  misjudge  you,  surely 
this  should  lighten  your  seeming  burden,  for  our 
Master  said :  '  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this ; 
that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends.'  I  would 
even  do  that;  but  it  will  not  be  necessary." 

At  these  words,  so  different  from  what  she  had 
feared,  Sofia's  heart  gave  a  bound,  and  a  thought 
that  her  deepest  desire  was  about  to  be  realized 
came  upon  her.  But  one  look  at  Paul's  face  convinced 
her  that,  as  before,  his  words  had  a  different  meaning. 

"  I  cannot  understand  you,"  she  said  sadly.  "  In 
one  breath  you  intimate  that  I  am  nothing  to  you 
and  in  the  next  you  declare  that  you  love  me  well 
enough  to  lay  down  your  life  for  me.  I  do  not  com- 
prehend such  love !  " 

"  Very  few  of  us  do,  Princess.  The  word  love  has 
been  so  belittled  by  human  thought  and  usage  that 
its  divine  import  is  almost  entirely  lost  sight  of.  To 


PAUL    AND    SOFIA  269 

human  thought  love  has  come  to  mean  little  more 
than  sentiment  and  passion ;  but  the  Love  which  is 
God,  surrounding  and  sustaining  each  of  His  ideas 
in  their  perfection,  —  the  Love  which  man,  made  in 
the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  expresses,  —  this, 
when  perfectly  reflected,  will  lead  us  to  love  our 
neighbor  as  we  love  ourselves,  and  it  will  make  us 
willing  to  bear  his  burdens  and  help  him  to  that  life 
in  Christ,  which  we  have  found. 

"  To-night  you  came  to  me  filled  with  fear,  —  fear 
of  me  and  fear  for  me.  There  was  no  occasion  for 
it;  but  you  had  a  false  belief  regarding  your  rela- 
tion to  me  which  caused  this  fear.  Now  that  you 
have  come  to  know  that  nothing  you  have  done  or 
can  do  can  possibly  change  my  esteem  for  you  — 
have  come  to  understand  your  true  relation  to  me  — 
all  fear  has  passed.  If  you  will  realize  your  true 
relation  to  God,  that  you  are  in  His  image,  —  spir 
itual,  not  material,  —  you  will  soon  realize  that  per- 
fect love  which  casteth  out  all  fear." 

Although  Sofia  understood  but  vaguely  what  Paul 
was  saying  to  her,  she  began  to  realize  that  he  had 
a  life  apart  from  the  one  she  seemed  to  know.  It  was 
happiness  enough  to  know  that  he  had  as  high,  or 
even  a  higher  regard  for  her  than  ever,  and  she  felt 
that  with  this  she  must  be  satisfied. 

A  small  French  clock  on  the  mantel  struck  seven. 
Its  chime  awoke  her  from  her  reverie  and  she  arose 
quickly.  "  I  had  no  idea  that  I  had  been  here  an 
hour,  Mr.  Anthony.  I  had  no  thought  of  taking  up 
so  much  of  your  time." 

She  extended  her  hand  with  a  smile.    "  I  feel  sure 


270        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

you  will  forgive  me.  I  seem  to  have  learned  by  ex- 
perience that  you  are  never  too  busy  to  stop  and 
explain  what  seems  to  you  to  be  the  truth  about  your 
God.  I  hope  some  day  to  possess  one  of  the  books 
of  which  you  told  us  the  other  night,  and  to  know 
more  of  that  wise  woman  of  whom  you  say  so  little, 
but  whom  you  always  mention  with  such  high  es- 
teem. She  must  be  a  very  good  woman." 

"  She  is !  "  replied  Paul  emphatically.  "  Never- 
theless there  are  those  who  profess  to  believe  that  she 
is  not  doing  the  work  of  God,  just  as  some  of  our 
friends  here  profess  to  believe  that  my  works  are 
evil.  She,  Princess,  like  all  others  who  are  striving 
to  follow  the  example  of  Christ  Jesus,  asks  only  to 
be  judged  by  her  works." 

He  opened  the  door  to  let  her  pass  and  extended 
his  hand :  "  Believe  me,  Princess,  I  feel  deeply  hon- 
ored by  this  visit,  —  this  mark  of  your  confidence  and 
esteem.  No  matter  what  may  occur  in  the  future, 
you  may  always  feel  sure  that  in  me  you  have  a 
friend." 

"  That  has  always  before  seemed  such  a  cold  word," 
she  said,  "  but  to-night  it  comes  to  me  in  its  true 
light ;  in  the  light  of  the  love  which  would  impel  one 
to  give  his  life  for  his  friend." 

She  passed  out  with  a  new  sense  of  life,  —  the  life 
that  is  above  material  pleasure  and  human  passion, 
—  and  found  herself  in  the  presence  of  her  brother, 
whose  words  and  acts  were  to  prove  an  offense  to 
her  every  thought. 


CHAPTER    XVII 

SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT 

"  SINCE  when  has  the  Princess  Sofia  taken  to  vis- 
iting her  lover  in  his  apartments  ?  "  demanded  Sindhu, 
as  soon  as  he  had  drawn  his  sister  into  the  privacy 
of  his  father's  room.  "  Have  you  not  already 
brought  disgrace  and  trouble  enough  by  your  folly? 
And  has  this  man  so  bewitched  you  that  you  must 
needs  parade  your  passion  and  shame  —  " 

"  Stop ! "  commanded  Sofia,  breaking  in  upon 
Sindhu's  tirade  of  accusation.  "  Are  you  entirely 
bereft  of  your  senses?  If  you  have  no  faith  in  this 
man,  even  after  all  that  he  has  done  for  you  and 
yours,  stop  and  ask  yourself  if  you  have  no  faith 
in  me." 

He  attempted  to  reply,  but  she  continued  vehe- 
mently :  "  Do  you  know  your  sister  so  little  that  you 
should  dare  to  think,  much  less  voice  the  thoughts 
you  have  expressed  ?  Take  back  your  insulting  accu- 
sations, which  you  well  know  are  false !  " 

Slight  of  stature  as  she  was,  she  stood  before  him 
commanding  and  powerful  in  the  strength  of  her 
innocence.  She  had  drawn  herself  to  her  full  height, 
and  her  inherent  royalty  was  never  more  apparent. 

"  Take  back  your  insults ! "  she  again  fiercely 
271 


272        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

demanded,  as  he  remained  silent.  "  Retract  not  only 
the  words  you  have  spoken,  but  the  accusations  you 
have  implied  but  have  not  dared  to  utter !  " 

She  advanced  upon  him  with  clenched  hands  and 
flashing  eyes,  —  eyes  aflame  with  the  fearlessness  of 
purity.  Intuitively  he  knew  he  was  wrong,  and  that 
his  accusations  were  without  foundation.  He  quailed 
under  her  glance  and  his  eyes  fell. 

"  I  do,"  he  finally  said  meekly.  "  I  do  retract  my 
words,  and  I  ask  your  forgiveness.  You  must  know 
that  your  honor  is  very  dear  to  me,  and  I  was  car- 
ried away  by  my  feelings.  But  even  now,  while  I 
realize  that  there  could  be  nothing  morally  wrong 
in  your  action,  I  must  still  censure  you  for  your 
folly.  You  know  the  existing  conditions.  You  know 
that  already  our  people  look  upon  you  as  having 
belittled  your  high  station  by  looking  with  favor 
upon  a  foreigner.  What  would  they  think  and  be- 
lieve did  they  know  that  you  had  so  violated  the  laws 
of  propriety  as  to  visit,  alone,  the  man  whom  you 
might  be  about  to  marry?  And  what  worse  would 
they  think,  should  it  become  known  that  you  had  paid 
such  a  visit  to  a  man  whom  you  are  not  only  unlikely 
to  marry,  but  who  has  not  even  suggested  that  you 
are  more  to  him  than  any  other  woman?  " 

The  anger  died  out  of  Sofia's  eyes,  and  the  haugh- 
tiness out  of  her  bearing  as  the  truth  of  Sindhu's 
words  made  itself  felt.  She  knew  she  had  been  unwise, 
but,  as  ever,  she  had  proved  herself  a  creature  of 
impulse.  Her  eyes  filled  with  tears  and  her  head  fell 
upon  her  breast. 

"  The  palace  is  full  of  spies,"  continued  Sindhu, 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  273 

"  and  every  act  of  ours  is  reported  to  those  who  would 
glory  in  your  disgrace.  It  is  but  now  that  I  have 
been  obliged  to  use  the  severest  measures  to  compel 
those  responsible  for  this  attempted  assassination  to 
realize  my  authority,  and  prevent  the  report  of  the 
unfortunate  happening  at  Myang-Nee  from  becom- 
ing generally  known.  What  a  weapon  in  their  hands 
the  story  of  this  visit  would  be !  How  could  you  have 
been  so  imprudent?  " 

"  Listen,  Sindhu,  and  I  will  explain.  I  went  to 
Mr.  Anthony  to  confess  my  folly  of  a  few  days  ago 
and  —  " 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  Sindhu  in  a  voice  of  mingled 
anger  and  surprise.  "  You  went  to  tell  him  the  truth 
about  an  act  which  was  a  virtual  confession  of  love !  " 

"Yes!" 

"  And  did  you  not  know  that  this  was  the  one  way 
to  destroy  your  only  chance  of  bringing  about  the 
result  you  have  desired  —  of  having  your  seeming 
position  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  of  Myang-Nee  made 
real?  Did  you  not  know  that  he  would  despise 
you?" 

"  I  feared  so,"  she  replied  humbly,  "  but  I  felt  that 
I  would  ten  thousand  times  rather  have  him  learn  it 
from  me  than  from  some  one  else !  " 

"  True.     I  had  not  thought  of  that." 

"  But  I  had.  The  fear  of  it  had  become  a  haunt- 
ing specter,  and  I  determined  at  the  review  this  morn- 
ing to  tell  him  the  truth.  Judge  of  my  surprise  when 
he  told  me  that  he  had  known  it  all  the  time !  " 

"  Had  known  it  all  the  time ! "  exclaimed  Sindhu, 
echoing  her  words.  "  Had  known  all  the  time  of  your 


274        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

feelings  and  attitude,  and  had  made  no  use  of  the 
knowledge?  Impossible!" 

"  It  is  a  fact !  "  affirmed  Sofia.  "  And  not  only 
that,  but  even  now  he  refuses  to  see  anything  com- 
promising in  my  action,  and  simply  ignores  all  allu- 
sion to  my  sentiment  toward  him.  He  professes  to 
believe  that  what  I  did  was  a  mere  act  of  courtesy 
to  a  stranger." 

"  Most  remarkable !  "  exclaimed  Sindhu,  shaking 
his  head.  "  Most  remarkable !  Most  men  would  have 
been  so  elated  by  such  a  confession  that  their  very 
presence  in  the  state  would  have  been  unbearable. 
Did  he  show  no  feeling  whatever  in  the  matter?  " 

"  Only  once ;  when  I  mentioned  the  attempt  upon 
his  life,  and  my  regret  that  I  should  have  made  him 
a  target  for  such  attacks.  He  declared  with  the 
greatest  vehemence  that  it  was  not  my  fault  if  people 
saw  fit  to  put  a  wrong  construction  upon  my  acts, 
and  declared  that  he  would  go  to  any  extreme  to  save 
me  from  annoyance." 

"  What  could  he  do  ?  The  only  thing  I  can  see 
would  be  to  marry  you  and  remove  from  Annakan." 

"  I  believe  that  is  the  one  thing  he  never  thought 
of.  But  he  evidently  had  some  plan  in  his  mind." 

For  several  minutes  there  was  silence,  both  being 
busy  with  their  own  thoughts.  At  last  Sindhu  said: 

"  He  is  certainly  an  unusual  man,  and  I  must  know 
more  of  his  strange  philosophy.  There  must  be  some- 
thing in  it  worth  knowing;  some  truth  worth  learn- 
ing." 

At  the  mention  of  truth,  there  flashed  across  Sofia's 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  275 

mind  the  explanation  given  her  by  Paul,  and  she  ex- 
claimed :  "  There  is,  Sindhu !  There  is !  " 

Sindhu  looked  at  her  in  wonderment.  "  What  do 
you  know  about  it?  " 

"  Very  little ;  but  when  I  asked  Mr.  Anthony  for 
a  definition  of  the  truth  of  which  he  continually 
speaks,  —  some  explanation  which  should  make  his 
words  clear,  —  he  replied :  '  The  great  truth  of  being 
is  that  man  is  a  spiritual  and  not  a  material  being.'  ' 

"  Folly !  "  exclaimed  Sindhu.  "  Can  I  not  see  that 
man  is  material?  It  is  the  material  body  that  makes 
us  recognizable  to  each  other.  How  would  I  know 
you  as  my  sister  were  it  not  for  your  material  body  ?  " 

"  And  still  the  real  Me,"  said  Sofia,  "  is  not  my 
body,  but  the  manaw  within,  which  makes  the  body 
act." 

"  Oh,  I  know  that  you  have  a  soul,  as  we  call  it ; 
but  that  soul  without  the  material  body  would  no 
more  be  you  than  the  material  body  would  be  you 
without  the  soul.  One  is  just  as  real  as  the  other." 

"  But  Buddha  taught  that  we  should  have  differ- 
ent bodies  in  all  the  seven  different  lives." 

"  To  be  sure,"  said  Sindhu,  "  but  they  will  all  be 
material." 

"  Will  we  have  the  same  manaw ;  the  same  soul, 
do  you  think  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  think  that  will  change,  too,  as  it  becomes 
more  and  more  perfect." 

"  Mr.  Anthony  says  that  man  made  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  his  God  is  perfect,  because  God  is 
perfect.  He  says  that  we  only  have  a  false  sense 
of  imperfection,  because  we  have  a  false  sense  of 


276        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

separation  from  God.  But  he  says  that  man  can- 
not be  separated  from  God,  because  in  God  he  moves 
and  lives  and  has  his  being.  He  says  that  the  mo- 
ment we  realize  man's  eternal  unity  with  God,  man's 
perfection  will  appear." 

"  I  suppose  he  is  talking  about  what  he  calls  the 
spiritual  man,"  ventured  Sindhu,  "  not  about  the 
material." 

"  He  says  that  there  is  no  material  man,  because 
the  only  man  his  God  made  was  spiritual,  in  God's 
image;  and  that  no  one  but  God  ever  made  man." 

"  You  must  have  misunderstood  him,"  said  Sindhu, 
as  he  relighted  his  cheroot.  "  To  deny  the  existence 
of  material  man  is  nonsense.  He  probably  has  his 
mind  so  full  of  spiritual  ideas  that  he  has  not  studied 
the  material  origin  of  life.  He  has  studied  too  much 
out  of  his  Bible  and  not  enough  of  the  natural  sci- 
ences. I  was  just  on  my  way  to  his  room  when  I 
met  you.  I  will  now  go  and  make  my  call,  and  while 
there  will  take  up  this  matter  and  show  him  the  error 
into  which  he  has  fallen." 

As  he  opened  the  door  to  allow  Sofia  to  pass  out 
he  said :  "  It  is  certainly  refreshing  to  run  across 
a  foreigner  with  advanced  ideas,  even  though  they 
may  be  wrong.  It  will  be  a  pleasure  to  discuss  the 
question  with  him." 

Sindhu  escorted  Sofia  leisurely  as  far  as  the  large 
rotunda,  where  he  was  about  to  leave  her,  when  the 
door  to  Paul's  room  suddenly  opened  and  Elizabeth 
came  out.  As  by  a  common  impulse,  brother  and 
sister  stepped  back  out  of  sight;  but  as  she  came 
up  the  hall  they  realized  that  concealment  was  im- 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  277 

possible,  and  stepped  forward,  intending  to  speak  to 
her.  She,  however,  looked  neither  to  the  right  nor 
left,  and  in  the  dim  light  passed  without  noticing 
them,  and  entered  her  own  room.  As  she  disappeared 
through  the  door,  they  looked  at  each  other  for  a 
moment  in  silence,  and  then  Sindhu  remarked  with 
a  sneer: 

"  Evidently  it  is  becoming  quite  the  proper  thing 
for  young  ladies  to  visit  gentlemen  in  their  private 
apartments.  I  think  it  must  be  an  American  idea; 
but  I  seriously  object  to  having  it  introduced  into  the 
palace  of  Annakan." 

There  was  a  foreboding  look  in  his  eye,  and  in  his 
heart  a  spirit  of  jealousy.  Something  of  the  same 
spirit  also  took  possession  of  Sofia  for  a  moment; 
but  she  conquered  it  with  a  mighty  effort,  realizing 
that  she  had  no  right  to  such  a  feeling.  On  the 
impulse  of  the  moment,  she,  too,  had  in  mind  an 
expression  of  censure;  but  remembering  her  own 
experience,  she  checked  it  on  her  tongue,  and  said: 

"  Judge  not  by  appearances.  Remember  what 
you  thought  of  me." 

Her  remark  was  so  different  from  what  Sindhu 
had  expected  that  he  turned  upon  her  a  look  of 
amazement,  remarking:  "  I  had  not  expected  you 
to  take  so  charitable  a  view  of  the  matter.  I  can 
imagine  that  her  visit  is  no  more  pleasing  to  you  than 
to  me." 

"  I  feel  that  I  have  no  right  to  judge  the  actions 
of  either  of  them.  Undoubtedly  Miss  Raymond  has 
good  reasons  for  her  visit.  In  view  of  the  events 
of  the  past  few  days,  it  is  not  strange  that  she  should 


£78        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

need  advice;  and  certainly  there  is  no  one  to  whom 
I  should  more  quickly  go,  if  in  trouble,  than  to  Mr. 
Anthony." 

Sindhu  smiled  quizzically :  "  I  can  readily  believe 
that.  And  it  is  so  unusual  to  find  one  woman  making 
excuses  for  another  that  I  am  inclined  to  suspect  you 
are  right.  However,  considering  existing  conditions, 
I  would  much  prefer  that  Miss  Raymond  be  a  little 
more  conventional.  At  least,"  declared  Sindhu,  with 
some  show  of  anger,  "  Mr.  Anthony  would  display 
much  better  judgment  if  he  would  not  allow  such 
visits." 

"  I  am  sure  Mr.  Anthony  was  quite  as  surprised 
at  my  visit  as  were  you ;  but  he  could  not,  as  a  gen- 
tleman, and  he  did  not,  even  suggest  by  word  or 
action,  that  he  considered  my  visit  anything  un- 
usual, although  I  am  certain  he  felt  it  a  strange  pro- 
ceeding." 

"  Well,"  said  Sindhu,  only  half  convinced,  "  I  shall 
suggest  to  him  the  unwisdom  of  allowing  young  ladies 
to  visit  his  apartments." 

"  You  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind,"  laughed  Sofia 
as  they  parted,  for  she  knew  her  brother  better  than 
he  did  himself. 

Paul  had  resumed  his  reading  when  Sindhu  knocked. 
"  I  wonder  who  this  will  be,"  was  the  thought  that 
passed  through  his  mind  as,  book  in  hand,  he  opened 
the  door.  His  face  lighted  with  a  look  of  genuine 
pleasure  as  he  recognized  his  visitor,  —  an  expression 
which  Sindhu  could  not  fail  to  understand,  and  which 
dispelled,  to  a  large  degree,  the  sinister  thoughts  he 
had  harbored. 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  279 

"  Really  this  is  an  unexpected  pleasure,"  declared 
Paul  as  he  extended  a  hand  which  Sindhu,  in  spite 
of  himself,  grasped  warmly.  "  I  have  already  had 
two  such  agreeable  calls  this  evening  that  I  hardly 
expected  another.  Will  you  be  seated?  " 

Paul  indicated  the  wicker  chair,  and  Sindhu  seated 
himself.  "  I  had  intended  being  here  sooner,"  he 
.said  by  way  of  opening  the  conversation,  "  but  was 
detained.  I  trust  I  am  not  keeping  you  from  any 
work." 

"  Not  at  all,"  was  the  smiling  rejoinder.  "  Really, 
if  you  had  come  any  sooner,  I  should  have  been 
obliged  to  ask  you  to  wait.  First,  I  was  favored 
with  a  most  considerate  call  from  the  Princess  Sofia, 
who  came  to  express  the  hope  that  the  incident  of 
the  morning  had  not  given  me  a  bad  impression  of 
your  people.  Later,  Miss  Raymond  called  to  ask 
some  further  explanation  of  my  testimony  given  the 
night  of  our  journey  hither.  So  many  persons  have 
such  a  totally  erroneous  impression  of  the  teachings 
of  Christian  Science  that  when  I  find  an  earnest 
seeker  after  the  truth  of  it,  I  am  always  pleased  to 
stop  and  tell  them  the  little  I  know." 

Paul's  words  and  the  manner  of  his  speech  put 
the  events  of  the  evening  in  an  entirely  different 
light,  and  Sindhu  found  himself  wondering  if,  after 
all,  there  was  really  anything  improper  in  the  calls 
of  the  young  ladies,  even  from  a  conventional  stand- 
point. Certainly  they  were  not  subject  to  criticism 
from  any  other  standpoint,  and  so  Sindhu  ignored  the 
matter  other  than  to  remark : 

"  Speaking  of  Miss  Raymond's  call  reminds  me 


280        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

tliat  there  are  several  statements  which  I  have  heard 
you  make  from  time  to  time  which  I  do  not  myself 
understand.  That  is,  I  think  I  do  not  quite  under- 
stand your  view-point;  because  from  the  ordinary 
point  of  view  the  statements  would  be  ridiculous." 

There  was  an  expression  of  satisfaction  upon 
Paul's  face  as  he  said:  "I  perceive,  Prince  Sindhu, 
that  you  have  exactly  grasped  my  position.  If  you 
would  see  things  as  I  see  them,  you  must  look  at  them 
from  my  point  of  view.  It  is  the  only  way  that  we 
will  ever  be  able  to  gain  the  same  impression  of  places 
and  things.  I  believe  that  I  have  found  the  proper 
point  from  which  to  view  the  Science  of  being,  —  the 
facts  of  man's  relation  to  his  creator.  I  believe  it 
is  a  higher  position  than  has  heretofore  been  attained ; 
but  any  man  or  woman  who  takes  such  an  advanced 
position  —  from  which  to  observe  and  study  —  is 
invariably  declared  to  be  wrong  by  the  masses,  all 
of  whom  are  still  obtaining  their  view  from  the  plain 
of  popular  belief,  instead  of  from  the  mountain  peak 
of  Divine  Science." 

"  It  is  because  I  realize  this,  Mr.  Anthony,  that 
I  take  the  trouble  to  ask  you  to  explain  some  of  your 
statements,  —  statements  for  which,  I  have  no  doubt, 
you  have  what  seems  to  you  a  satisfactory  explana- 
tion. The  first  of  these  remarks  that  attracted  my 
attention  was  your  declaration  that  there  was  no 
death.  Certainly  this  was  not  made  from  the  view- 
point of  popular  belief." 

"  Well,  hardly,"  laughed  Paul.  "  The  demonstra- 
ble truth  upon  which  I  base  that  statement  is  the 
divinely  scientific  fact  that  there  is  no  life  inherent 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  281 

in  matter.  Mind,  Spirit,  God  is  eternal,  and,  there- 
fore, there  can  be,  as  a  scientific  reality,  no  death. 
I  learned  this  first  in  *  Science  and  Health  with 
Key  to  the  Scriptures,*  the  text-book  of  which  I  told 
you  the  other  night.  I  have  since  been  able  to  prove 
it  many  times." 

"  But  man  is  material ! "  exclaimed  Sindhu. 
"  That  must  be  plain  to  any  man  with  eyes.  And 
man  does  die !  " 

Paul  looked  at  his  visitor  long  and  earnestly  before 
replying.  In  that  inspection  he  saw  that  Sindhu 
was  not  so  much  actuated  by  a  great  desire  to  learn 
a  new  truth  as  to  enter  into  one  of  those  discussions 
for  which  the  Burmese  religionist  is  noted.  He  there- 
fore said : 

"  Prince  Sindhu,  I  do  not  care  to  enter  into  a  dis- 
cussion of  this  subject,  for  I  fear  we  should  arrive 
at  no  conclusion.  But  I  will  tell  you  upon  what 
premise  I  base  my  belief.  It  is  the  teaching  of  the 
Bible,  that  '  God  is  spirit,'  and  that  '  God  made  man 
in  his  image  and  likeness.'  Therefore,  God  being 
spirit,  the  rc..l  man  —  the  divinely  scientific  man  in 
God's  image  —  must  be  a  spiritual,  not  a  material 
being." 

"  What,  then,"  asked  Sindhu  exultantly,  "  is  this 
body  which  I  see  and  feel?  Whence  does  it  come?  " 

"  If  God  made  man  spiritual,  and  God  made  all 
that  was  made,  then  the  material  body  is  but  a  false 
concept,  and  why  argue  whence  it  comes?  With- 
out, however,  discussing  the  correctness  of  the  vari- 
ous schools  of  metaphysics,  I  think  I  may  say  briefly 
that  all  accepted  authorities  on  metaphysical  sub- 


282        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

jects  agree  that  the  body  is  simply  a  condition  of 
thought,  —  a  dream,  as  it  were.  Even  that  great 
natural  scientist,  Mr.  Balfour,  recently  made  a  state- 
ment that  in  explaining  matter  natural  science  ex- 
plains it  away.  These  are  questions  with  which  you 
are  doubtless  quite  familiar." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Sindhu  slowly,  "  I  am  familiar 
with  them  and  I  thought  I  understood  them.  At  any 
rate,  your  explanations  have  given  me  food  for 
thought.  But  you  speak  so  continually  of  the  Bible ; 
how  do  you  know  that  the  statements  contained  in 
the  Bible  are  true?  " 

"  Because  I  have  proved  them  to  my  satisfaction. 
It  was  through  the  understanding  of  the  Bible,  which 
I  have  obtained  by  reading  it  in  connection  with 
Science  and  Health,  that  I  was  able  to  help  the  lame 
boy  and  your  father;  by  the  understanding  of  the 
Bible  I  am  enabled  to  solve  many  of  the  problems  of 
my  daily  life.  The  reasons,  the  explanations,  which 
I  might  give  you  for  my  belief  might  not  satisfy 
you,  but  they  do  me.  As  it  is,  all  I  ask  is  that  you 
shall  judge  my  understanding  by  my  works. 

"  But,"  continued  Paul,  "  if  you  want  to  know 
this  truth,  if  you  want  to  make  it  your  own,  there 
is  but  one  way  to  get  it:  that  is,  to  take  up  the 
study  of  Christian  Science  the  same  as  you  would  the 
study  of  physical  science.  Study  the  Bible  in  the 
light  of  this  new  understanding,  —  this  spiritual  in- 
terpretation of  its  words  and  statements.  At  first, 
many  of  your  problems  will  seem  difficult,  but  they 
can  all  be  solved.  If  you  wished  to  become  pro- 
ficient in  the  science  of  mathematics,  you  would  ex- 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  283 

pect  to  devote  a  great  deal  of  time  to  the  study  of 
its  text-books.  If  you  would  learn  the  Science  of 
Christianity,  the  Science  of  being,  you  must  do  the 
same." 

For  several  minutes  neither  of  them  spoke.  There 
was  that  in  Paul's  words  which  carried  conviction 
with  them.  Sindhu  felt  that  it  would  be  useless  to 
attempt  any  argument;  but  he  determined  that  he 
would  study  this  new  old  science  if  for  nothing  more 
than  to  be  able  to  refute  it  understandingly.  Paul 
seemed  to  have  guessed  his  thoughts,  for  he  said: 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  have  not  a  copy  of  the  text- 
book to  give  you.  I  have  given  away  the  half-dozen 
I  had  when  I  left  Pittsburg,  but  I  have  ordered  some 
more,  and  when  they  arrive  you  shall  have  one." 

"  It  is  certainly  a  strange  philosophy,  or  religion, 
or  whatever  you  are  pleased  to  call  it,"  said  Sindhu, 
"  and  it  may  be  right,  but  in  spite  of  the  works  I 
have  seen  you  do,  I  could  never  believe  that  they  were 
the  result  of  this  science  unless  I  could  so  understand 
it  as  to  be  able  to  use  it  myself." 

"  That  is  the  only  real  way  to  prove  any  truth," 
said  Paul;  again  for  several  minutes  both  men 
lapsed  into  silence. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Anthony,  if  you  do  not  care  to  discuss 
religion  from  my  point  of  view,"  at  length  remarked 
the  prince,  with  a  laugh,  "  we  can  at  least  take  up 
the  matter  which  brought  you  here.  What  is  your 
decision  regarding  the  water-works  ?  " 

"  Practical,  absolutely  practical !  " 

"  Have  you  mp.de  any  estimate  as  to  the  time  it 
might  take  to  construct  the  system?  " 


284       PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  have.  However,  it  will  not 
be  a  long  job." 

"  Would  it  be  possible  for  you  to  come  up  here 
another  season  and  supervise  the  work;  or  have  you 
home  ties  which  demand  your  return  to  America?  " 

Prince  Sindhu  flicked  the  ashes  from  his  cheroot, 
and  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  into  the  air  to  hide  his 
interest  in  the  answer. 

"  I  have  no  home  ties,  Prince  Sindhu.  With  the 
exception  of  a  married  sister,  I  have  no  relatives." 

"  You  are  not,  I  take  it,  a  woman  hater?  " 

Paul  laughed  outright.  "  I  am  not  a  hater  of  any 
kind.  No  man  has  a  higher  regard  for  womankind 
than  I.  It  was  a  woman  who  showed  me  this  great 
truth  of  which  we  have  been  talking.  Some  day  1 
hope  to  take  a  wife." 

"  You  will  have  to  hurry,  Mr.  Anthony,  for  you 
are  evidently  more  of  a  bachelor  than  I;  you  have 
passed  more  birthdays." 

Paul  again  laughed,  this  time  at  the  very  evident 
attempt  to  get  information  as  to  his  age,  as  he  re- 
plied, "  The  greater  understanding  I  acquire  regard- 
ing my  actual  being,  the  younger  I  become.  Cer- 
tainly I  feel  ten  years  younger  than  I  did  ten  years 
ago.  As  we  come  to  realize  the  scientific  truth  about 
man's  relation  to  God,  we  realize  that  in  the  divine 
Mind  there  is  no  such  thing  as  time.  The  real  peri- 
ods of  time  with  man  are  those  of  growth  into  the 
Understanding  of  God." 

"  That  is  a  beautiful  thought,"  said  Sindhu,  who 
had  gradually  acquired  a  very  comfortable  frame  of 
mind.  "  Speaking  of  beauty,  I  would  ask  if  there 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  285 

are  many  women  in  your  country  as  beautiful  as 
Miss  Raymond?  " 

The  physical  idea  of  beauty  had  been  so  far  from 
Paul's  thought  that  for  a  moment  he  failed  to  grasp 
the  import  of  the  question,  and  there  was  a  momen- 
tary hesitation  which  Sindhu  was  quick  to  note.  Nor 
was  the  slight  sense  of  jealousy  allayed  by  Paul's 
reply  that  he  thought  Elizabeth  an  unusually  hand- 
some woman. 

"  But  it  is  her  goodness  that  most  impresses  me," 
he  concluded.  "  Like  yourself,  Prince  Sindhu,  she 
is  an  earnest  seeker  after  Truth.  In  fact  the  seekers 
here  are  becoming  so  numerous  that  I  think  we  shall 
have  to  start  a  society." 

"  I  think  I  had  my  fill  of  instruction  at  the  mon- 
astery," laughed  Sindhu.  "  But  to  change  the  sub- 
ject: have  you  had  any  news  of  Mr.  Lombard  to- 
night?" 

"  No;  I  am  going  over  to  see  him  in  the  morning." 

"  If  I  am  not  able  to  call,  carry  him  my  deepest 
sympathy  and  tell  him  that  we  hope  to  see  him  out 
in  a  couple  of  weeks.  I  am  —  " 

A  knock  at  the  door  interrupted  the  conversation, 
and  Paul  opened  to  admit  Captain  Ormonde. 

"  By  Jove,  Anthony !  "  he  said  by  way  of  greetingt 
"  I  am  deuced  glad  to  see  you  alive.  I  was  told  I 
should  find  Prince  Sindhu  here." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  Captain.     Come  in." 

"  Good  evening,  Captain,"  exclaimed  Sindhu,  ris- 
ing. "  To  what  good  fortune  are  we  indebted  for 
this  call?" 

"  I  am  afraid  it  is  an  evil  fortune,"  was  the  reply. 


286        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  A  messenger,  just  arrived  from  the  Shantung 
pass,  reports  a  large  body  of  Tartars,  a  veritable 
army,  encamped  on  the  other  side,  with  the  evident 
intention  of  forcing  the  pass  at  daylight.  He  has 
come  to  ask  reinforcements." 

"  This  is  indeed  unpleasant  news,"  said  Sindhu. 
"  Something  more  than  reinforcements  is  needed. 
Tell  Colonel  Holliday  that  I  will  summon  a  council 
of  war  at  once." 

Captain  Ormonde  turned  on  his  heel  and  was  gone. 
Sindhu  stepped  quickly  to  Paul's  bedroom,  and,  open- 
ing a  small  panel  set  in  the  wall,  pushed  an  electric 
button.  In  answer  to  the  touch,  bells  were  heard 
ringing  all  over  the  palace. 

"  It  will  save  time  to  have  the  council  meet  here," 
he  explained.  "  If  you  do  not  wish  to  be  disturbed 
in  your  reading,  or  to  be  annoyed  by  the  details  of 
this  unpleasant  affair,  you  can  step  into  my  father's 
apartments." 

"  With  your  permission,  I  will  remain.  A  man  of 
peace,  I  take  it,  may  once  in  his  life  attend  a  council 
of  war." 

"  Certainly,  since  the  object  of  war  is  to  bring 
peace." 

Paul  laughed.  "  It  is  like  giving  a  man  a  dose 
of  medicine,  is  it  not  ?  Treating  the  effect  to  cure  the 
cause." 

"  I  do  not  exactly  see  it  in  that  light,"  said  Sindhu, 
in  a  questioning  voice. 

"  Certainly  the  cause  of  all  disease  is  mental," 
explained  Paul,  "  because  if  there  were  no  mind  there 
would  be  no  body,  hence  no  disease.  Now  to  which  do 


SINDHU    SEEKS    LIGHT  287 

the  doctors  give  the  drugs;  the  mind  or  the 
body?  " 

"  The  body,  of  course." 

"  Well,  that  is  what  I  mean  by  treating  the  effect 
instead  of  the  cause." 

"  And  how  does  it  apply  to  war  ?  " 

"  War  is  the  effect  of  inharmony,  disease.  This 
inharmony  results  in  physical  force.  Instead  of 
treating  the  inharmony,  we  resort  to  arms,  —  we 
treat  the  effect  instead  of  the  cause.  Why  not  reverse 
the  process? 

"  Chiefly,"  replied  Sindhu,  laughing,  "  because  it 
is  not  convenient.  It  is  easier  to  fight  than  to  ex- 
plain. It's  less  trouble  to  exterminate  your  enemies 
than  to  forgive  them." 

"  The  better  way,"  said  Paul,  "  is  to  destroy  them 
by  making  them  your  friends.  When  all  men  come 
to  realize  that  there  is  but  one  Mind,  wars  will  cease.'* 


CHAPTER    XVIII 

PAUL    AND    ELIZABETH 

THE  council  of  war  was  not  a  long  one.  Only  one 
important  question  presented  itself :  Should  the  army 
in  its  present  condition  attempt  to  prevent  the  enemy 
from  passing  through  the  mountains ;  or  was  the  com- 
bined British  and  native  force  sufficient  to  allow  the 
Tartars  to  emerge  on  to  the  plain  and  then  to  sud- 
denly sweep  down,  while  they  were  still  unformed  in 
battle  array,  and  destroy  them?  The  native  officers 
were  for  keeping  the  enemy  out ;  but  the  British,  who 
realized  that  as  long  as  such  a  force  existed,  it  would 
have  to  be  strongly  opposed  and  continually  watched, 
were  for  adopting  the  second  course,  having  no  doubt 
in  their  own  minds  as  to  the  result. 

Among  the  officers  present  at  the  council  was  Maj  or 
O'Keefe.  While  he  was,  as  he  said,  not  a  warrior,  but 
a  doctor,  he  had  been  calling  upon  Colonel  Holliday 
when  the  council  was  summoned,  and  came  along.  In 
expressing  his  opinions  the  major  declared  that  he 
took  a  surgical  view  of  it. 

"  Bedad,  if  you  had  a  boil  on  the  back  of  your 
neck,  the  quickest  and  surest  way  to  get  rid  of  it 
would  be  to  open  it  as  quick  as  possible.  Faith,  it 

288 


PAUL    AND    ELIZABETH  289 

seems  to  me  that  this  festering  boil  is  ripe.     Let's 
open  it." 

Sindhu  looked  at  Paul  and  smiled.  Then  to  the 
major  in  a  jocular  manner :  "  Would  this  prevent  any 
more  boils  ?  " 

"  I  can't  tell." 

"  But  suppose  we  could  doctor  this  one  so  there 
would  be  no  more  boils?  " 

"  Sure  that  would  be  better  yet.  But  you  can't 
always  tell  what  causes  them,  and  the  best  way  is  to 
get  out  as  much  impurity  through  each  one  as  possi- 
ble, and  trust  to  good  luck  not  to  have  any  more." 

There  was  a  general  laugh  at  the  explanation,  and 
it  was  finally  decided  that  it  was  wiser  to  risk  a  de- 
cisive engagement  than  to  spend  months  guarding  the 
frontier  and  later  be  obliged  to  fight  a  battle  with 
a  more  seasoned  enemy. 

It  was  nearly  ten  o'clock  when  the  council  dis- 
solved. The  distance  from  the  frontier  made  it  nec- 
essary that  the  main  body  of  the  troops  should  cover 
a  distance  of  more  than  forty  miles  before  daylight. 
As  the  troops  were  to  be  hurried  to  the  front  in  fight- 
ing order,  unhampered  by  artillery,  the  undertaking 
was  not  an  extremely  arduous  one.  Within  half  an 
hour  the  dragoons  were  on  their  way,  and  twenty 
minutes  later  two  regiments  of  native  cavalry  fol- 
lowed, under  the  immediate  command  of  Prince 
Sindhu.  To  General  Weing  Hla  was  entrusted  the 
command  of  the  city,  while  General  Poh  Myah  was  to 
leave  the  city  at  midnight  with  a  large  body  of  infan- 
try, and  proceed  to  the  first  foothills  in  order  to  hold 
them  as  a  line  of  defence  in  the  event  of  the  enemy 


290        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

being  driven  that  far.  To  Captain  Shway  was  en- 
trusted the  immediate  protection  of  the  palace. 

It  was  a  night  of  intense  excitement.  The  entire 
city  was  quickly  notified  of  the  changed  condition  of 
affairs,  and  every  able-bodied  man  was  pressed  into 
some  sort  of  service.  While  there  was  a  general  feel- 
ing that  the  enemy  would  be  defeated,  if  not  des- 
troyed, there  was  nevertheless  grave  apprehension 
because  its  exact  strength  was  not  known. 

Before  leaving  the  palace  Prince  Sindhu  gave 
Captain  Shway  particular  orders  concerning  the 
two  conspirators.  "  See  that  they  are  carefully 
guarded,"  he  commanded.  "  Let  no  one  communi- 
cate with  them,  nor  allow  them  to  know  of  anything 
that  is  transpiring  without." 

As  he  shook  hands  with  Paul  upon  leaving,  he  said : 
"  Mr.  Anthony,  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  look  espe- 
cially after  my  father  and  sister.  Captain  Shway 
will  recognize  any  orders  you  may  give.  I  am  leav- 
ing the  Americans  in  your  charge  also ;  and  it  might 
be  well  to  have  Mr.  Lombard  brought  over  to  the 
palace.  The  hospital  corps  will  have  plenty  to  attend 
to  after  the  battle.  I  have  placed  great  confidence  in 
you.  Something  impels  me  to  do  so." 

"  I  appreciate  your  confidence,"  said  Paul.  "  I 
trust,  however,  that  there  will  be  no  occasion  for  my 
becoming  anything  more  than  the  simple  guest  I  have 
been  since  my  arrival;  but  in  case  anything  does 
transpire  needing  my  attention,  it  will  certainly  re- 
ceive it.'* 

After  the  departure  of  Prince  Sindhu  Paul  at  once 
took  such  action  as  would  make  him  most  available 


PAUL    AND    ELIZABETH  291 

in  case  his  services  were  needed.  Summoning  Cap- 
tain Shway,  he  asked  to  be  shown  over  the  palace,  and 
even  went  so  far  as  to  have  Mr.  Lombard's  room 
prepared  for  his  use  on  the  following  morning.  IJe 
visited  Oo  Toung-lay  and  the  Princess  Sofia.  He 
found  her  the  least  excited  of  any  of  those  about 
the  palace.  Since  he  had  seen  her  earlier  in  the  eve- 
ning she  seemed  to  have  undergone  a  complete  change. 
She  greeted  him  with  a  look  of  contentment  on  her 
face,  such  as  she  had  not  worn  since  the  day  they  left 
the  steamer  on  their  way  up  the  river.  To  Ca'ptain 
Shway  she  said: 

"  You  understand,  do  you  not,  that  you  are  under 
Mr.  Anthony's  orders  quite  as  much  as  you  are  under 
mine?  " 

"  I  do."  And  his  somewhat  puzzled  look  brought 
a  rush  of  color  to  her  face,  as  she  realized  that  he 
was  still  under  a  false  impression  regarding  her  rela- 
tion to  Paul. 

"  We  simply  called  to  let  you  know  that  we  are 
enlisted  in  your  service,"  explained  Paul.  "  Come, 
Captain,  we  must  also  inform  Elder  Meredith  and  his 
party  where  they  can  find  us  if  they  should  need  any- 
thing." 

They  crossed  over  to  the  other  wing,  inspecting 
the  guards  as  they  passed.  Here  they  found  all  of 
the  party  in  bed  and  asleep  except  Elizabeth.  She 
was  reading  in  the  large  drawing-room  which  was 
used  in  common  by  the  Americans.  She  looked  up  as 
they  entered. 

"  We  are  on  a  tour  of  inspection,"  said  Paul.  "  I 
wanted  to  feel  sure  that  you  were  all  comfortable." 


292        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Physically,  yes,"  replied  Elizabeth ;  "  mentally. 
I  am  still  somewhat  in  the  dark  after  my  talk  with 
you.  I  have  been  reading  a  book  which  I  purchased 
just  before  I  left  Rangoon.  It  is  the  first  time  I 
have  thought  of  it.  It  is  called,  *  The  House  of  De- 
fense.' I  have  discovered  that  it  is  a  book  dealing 
largely  with  what  is  called  the  fallacies  of  Christian 
Science.  If  the  things  I  find  in  it  are  true,  it  does 
seem  as  though  you  really  must  be  wrong  in  some 
of  your  beliefs.  Listen  to  this." 

"  Pardon  me  a  moment,"  said  Paul.  Then  to  Cap- 
tain Shway :  "  I  will  remain  here  a  few  minutes,  Cap- 
tain. I  will  see  you  again  before  I  retire.  Now,  Miss 
Raymond,"  as  the  captain  saluted  and  left,  "  I  will 
listen." 

"  This,"  explained  Elizabeth,  "  is  a  man  telling  of 
some  of  the  foolish  beliefs  of  Christian  Science.  He 
says :  *  I  know  quite  well  that  these  Christian  Scien- 
tists have  gotten  hold  of  a  big  truth,  but  many  of 
them  mix  up  such  a  flood  of  nonsense  with  it,  that 
it  is  quite  dissolved.  They  tell  me  that  if  you  have 
a  compound  fracture  of  a  bone  and  only  say  to  your- 
self, that  compound  fractures  do  not  exist,  the  bone 
will  join.  That  of  course  is  silly.  But  —  '  " 

"  It  certainly  is  silly,"  interrupted  Paul ;  "  but 
Christian  Scientists  make  no  such  statements.  Many 
persons  who  think  they  know  what  Christian  Science 
teaches  make  just  such  absurd  statements  as  that; 
but  no  person  who  understands  its  teachings  would 
say  such  a  thing  or  put  such  words  into  the  mouth 
of  some  one  else.  As  I  have  said  once  before  in  your 
hearing,  if  Christian  Scientists  believed  all  the  fool- 


PAUL    AND    ELIZABETH  293 

ish   things    they   are    credited   with   believing,   they 
would  be  quite  as  crazy  as  some  people  think  they  are. 

"  I  am  not  going  to  explain  to  you  what  Christian 
Science  really  is,  or  what  it  teaches.  You  can  only 
learn  that  by  a  careful  study  of  its  text-book,  *  Sci- 
ence and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,'  by  Mrs. 
Eddy  —  " 

"  Why  do  you  so  frequently  bring  in  that  woman's 
name  ?  "  interrupted  Elizabeth. 

Paul  looked  at  her  and  smiled.  "  Why  not  ?  "  he 
asked.  "  The  reason  is  simply  this :  I  want  to  be 
sure  that  you  get,  unquestionably,  the  genuine  book. 
All  the  world  has  not,  perhaps,  as  strong  a  sense  of 
honesty  as  you,  and  there  are  other  books  which  claim 
to  teach  Christian  Science,  but  which  do  not. 

"  What  I  wanted  to  say,"  continued  Paul,  "  is,  that 
Christian  Science  does  not  teach  anywhere  *  only  to 
say  to  yourself.'  Christian  Science  teaches  that  you 
must  absolutely  know  the  truth  about  any  and  every 
thing,  and  that  you  must  be  able  to  prove  a  truth, 
if  you  would  make  it  your  own.  Briefly,  Christian 
Science  teaches  men  to  know  the  great  truth  of  being 
which  makes  them  free." 

"  I  believe  that  I  have  begun  to  learn  that  from 
the  talks  we  have  already  had,"  said  Elizabeth.  "  I 
think  I  also  understand  that  the  first  commandment: 
*  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me,'  means 
that  thou  shalt  know  no  God  but  good,  Spirit,  Truth 
Life  and  Love,  and  that  in  proportion  as  we  do  thig 
we  shall  never  be  in  danger  of  breaking  any  of  the 
ten  commandments." 

"  When  you  fully  realize  this,  you  will  have  come 


294        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

to  realize  much,"  declared  Paul.  "  You  will  then 
quickly  come  to  know  and  understand  Christ,  and 
how  he  is  *  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life.'  " 

"  I  must  confess,"  said  Elizabeth,  with  great  ear- 
nestness, "  that  I  have  not  yet  come  to  fully  grasp 
that  idea.  Sometimes  I  think  that  I  do  not  really 
know  what  Christ  means.  How  is  it  that  Jesus  can 
be  the  way  ?  " 

"  I  think,  Miss  Raymond,  that  you  are  simply 
laboring  under  the  same  misapprehension  that  is  af- 
flicting most  professed  followers  of  Christ  to-day. 
To  me,  Jesus  and  Christ  are  not  synonymous.  The 
human  Jesus  was  the  Word  made  flesh  in  the  son  of 
Mary.  As  he  himself  stated,  he  was  the  way-shower 
and  example.  Christ  is  the  spiritual  son  of  God ; 
the  ever  active,  divine  idea  which  destroys  all  error 
—  all  sin,  sickness  and  death.  Jesus  was  the  name 
of  the  one  who,  better  than  any  one  else,  has  shown 
and  lived  and  proved  the  Christ.  It  was  of  this 
Christ  spirit  that  Jesus  was  speaking  when  he  de- 
clared: *I  am  the  way,  the  truth  and  the  life,'  be- 
cause the  truth  is  the  only  way  by  which  we  shall 
reach  heaven  —  perfect  harmony.  Because  God  is 
Truth  and  Christ  is  Truth's  perfect  reflection  we 
can  see  the  meaning  of  that  other  saying  which  has 
given  the  world  so  much  concern,  namely :  *  I  and 
my  father  are  one.'  Christ  always  was,  and  ever 
will  be  one  with  God,  the  Father,  and  this  must  be 
what  Jesus  meant  when  he  said :  *  Before  Abraham 
was  I  am.'  When  Jesus  thus  spoke  of  himself,  it  was 
this  Christ.  Truth,  to  which  he  referred. 

*'  The    great    trouble   with    Christendom   to-day," 


PAUL    AND    ELIZABETH  295 

continued  Paul,  "  is  that  those  professing  Christ  are 
too  greatly  given  to  worshipping  the  material  Jesus, 
instead  of  honoring  Christ  —  the  divine  idea.  They 
pray  to  Jesus  continually,  having  in  their  minds  a 
mental  picture  of  the  material  man,  who,  perfect  as 
he  was  from  a  physical  standpoint,  was  not  that  of 
which  he  himself  declared :  '  I  and  my  father  are  one.' 
It  is  the  Christ  that  shall  eternally  lead  us  into  all 
righteousness.  Jesus  never  taught  any  of  his  disci- 
ples to  worship  him.  He  even  rebuked  one  who  called 
him  '  good  Master,'  declaring,  *  There  is  none  good 
but  one,  that  is  God.'  St.  Paul  admonishes,  '  let  this 
mind  be  in  you  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus.'  It 
was  this  mind,  which  I  understand  to  be  the  Christ, 
that  Jesus  continually  demonstrated.  It  was  because 
Jesus  recognized  his  spiritual  origin  —  recognized 
that  all  God's  offspring  are  spiritual  and  not  mate- 
rial —  that  he  was  able  to  see  the  real,  perfect  man  in 
God's  image  and  likeness,  while  we  see  only  the  mate- 
rial man.  When  he  prayed  the  Father  it  was  with  an 
absolute  understanding  of  this  fact,  and  thus  he 
realized  that  his  prayers  were  answered,  even  as  he 
asked  them.  In  Science  and  Health  we  are  also 
taught  that  *  to  ask  in  my  name '  means  to  ask  in 
the  same  manner  as  Jesus  prayed.  If  we  can  reach 
that  state  of  purity  and  goodness  wherein  we  acquire 
that  mind  *  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus,'  we  shall 
be  able  to  do  just  as  great  works  as  he  did,  and  our 
v/orks  will  be  exactly  in  proportion  to  our  attainment 
of  that  mind." 

"  But  to  become  as  pure  as  Jesus  is  impossible," 
declared  Elizabeth. 


«96        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  What  makes  you  think  that  ?  "  inquired  Paul, 
with  a  questioning  smile. 

"  Because  Jesus  was  the  son  of  God." 

Her  interest  was  intense.  She  leaned  eagerly  for- 
ward to  hear  what  Paul  might  answer.  Taking  her 
Bible  from  the  table,  he  said: 

"  Are  we  not  also  the  sons  of  God?  Listen  to  this 
from  the  first  epistle  of  John :  '  Beloved,  now  are  we 
the  sons  of  God;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what 
we  shall  be,'  [that  is,  it  hath  not  yet  been  revealed 
just  what  that  sonship  shall  constitute,  as  we  pro- 
gress in  our  understanding,]  *  but  we  know  that, 
when  he  shall  appear,'  [shall  be  revealed,]  '  we 
shall  be  like  him.'  Do  you  desire  any  better  evidence 
that  it  is  possible  for  us  to  acquire  the  mind  which 
was  in  Jesus?  If  so  listen  to  the  following  com- 
mand of  Jesus  given  in  his  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
immediately  after  his  blessed  promise  '  the  pure  in 
heart  shall  see  God : '  *  Be  ye,  therefore,  perfect, 
even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect.' 
Do  you  believe  that  Jesus  would  have  laid  any  such 
injunction  upon  us,  if  he  had  not  known  that  it  was 
possible  for  us  to  obey  it?  " 

Into  Elizabeth's  eyes  was  gradually  coming  the 
light  of  a  new  understanding.  She  was  beginning 
to  realize  her  God-given  power  and  dominion  over 
evil.  Paul  recognized  the  look  and  continued  to 
turn  over  the  leaves  of  the  Bible,  reading  here  and 
there  from  the  commands  of  Jesus. 

"  *  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul  and  with  all  thy  mind.' 
*  Preach,  saying  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,' 


PAUL    AND    ELIZABETH  £97 

—  not  afar  off.  *  Heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the  lepers, 
raise  the  dead.'  *  God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that  wor- 
ship him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.' 
*  Judge  not  according  to  appearances,  but  judge 
righteous  judgment.'  *  If  ye  love  me  keep  my  com- 
mandments.' *  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit :  for 
theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  '  Blessed  are  the 
meek :  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth.'  " 

He  closed  the  book.  "  Who  are  the  poor  in 
spirit  ?  "  he  suddenly  asked.  "  Those,  to  be  sure,  who 
have  not  enough ;  who  feel  their  lack,  in  other  words, 
the  receptive  thought.  Who  are  the  meek?  Those 
who  obey;  not  those  who  are  servile,  or  who  cringe 
as  though  fearing  the  lash,  but  those  who  without 
question,  from  a  pure  love  of  righteousness,  —  of 
doing  right,  —  obey  the  commands  of  God  as  inter- 
preted by  Christ  Jesus." 

Elizabeth's  eyes  shone  with  a  new  soft  light :  *'  It 
all  seems  so  clear  and  beautiful  as  you  explain  it, 
Mr.  Anthony,  but  still  I  cannot  seem  to  realize  it. 
I  have  always  been  so  given  to  pleading  with  God, 
just  as  though  He  did  not  know  all  that  I  could  pos- 
sibly tell  Him.  And  all  this  time,  too,  I  was  believing 
that  He  sent  the  very  evils  from  which  I  was  asking 
Him  to  deliver  me.  But  the  Lord's  Prayer  seems  to 
be  purely  a  supplication.  Why  should  I  not  pray  in 
the  same  manner  ?  " 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Paul  gently,  "  you  have  not  real- 
ized the  spiritual  import  of  that  prayer.  In  Science 
and  Health  you  will  find  a  spiritual  interpretation 
which  makes  it  very  plain.  As  we  realize  that,  al- 
though prayer  does  not  and  cannot  change  God,  it 


298        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

still  does  bring  us  into  harmony  with  Him  by  the  up- 
lifting of  our  thought  to  a  higher  and  purer  plane, 
we  see  the  real  object  of  prayer." 

"  While  I  have  never  read  this  spiritual  interpreta- 
tion to  which  you  refer,"  said  Elizabeth,  "  I  have 
been  told  that  it  is  an  impossible  interpretation." 

"  I  am  not  going  to  discuss  that  with  you.  I  am 
going  to  leave  it  for  you  to  study  for  yourself.  I 
would,  however,  like  to  read  you  the  translation  of 
the  Lord's  Prayer  as  it  appears  in  Ferrar  Fenton's 
translation  of  the  New  Testament;  a  translation  re- 
garded by  many  of  the  most  learned  scholars  as  the 
clearest  that  has  yet  been  made.  He  declares  that 
this  translation  exactly  conveys  the  meaning  of  the 
Greek  words." 

Paul  took  from  his  pocket  a  little  note-book  and 
read  the  translation  as  follows :  "  '  Our  Father  in  the 
Heavens ;  Your  name  must  be  being  Hallowed ;  Your 
Kingdom  must  be  being  restored;  your  Will  must 
be  being  done  both  in  Heaven  and  upon  the  Earth. 
Give  us  to-day  our  to-morrow's  bread;  And  forgive 
us  our  faults,  as  we  forgive  those  offending  us,  for 
You  would  not  lead  us  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us 
from  its  evil.' 

"  This  translation  gives  us  the  idea  I  wish  to  con- 
vey. Instead  of  beseeching  God  to  lead  us  not  into 
temptation,  as  though  he  were  an  evil  God  who  de- 
lighted to  do  such  things,  Jesus  evidently  intended  us 
to  realiia  that  God  does  not  lead  us  into  temptation, 
—  into  sin  and  sickness,  —  and  if  He  does  not,  there 
is  no  power  that  can ;  because  our  mortal  mind-  tW 


PAUL    AND    ELIZABETH  299 

seeming  will  that  is  opposed  to  God,  has  no  real 
power. 

*'  It  is  thus  we  should  pray  when  we  seek  the  re- 
covery of  the  sick.  If  we  believe  that  God  has  made 
a  person  sick  —  and  man  cannot  be  sick  unless  God 
has  made  him  so  —  we  shall  never  be  able  to  pray 
that  person  well.  The  prayer  that  heals  the  sick  is 
the  prayer  of  realization  that  man  is  well  because 
God  has  made  him  perfect,  and  there  is  no  power  to 
make  him  otherwise.  Thus  when  we  pray  for  the 
recovery  of  the  sick,  we  pray  believing  that  our 
prayers  are  onswered  as  we  pray.  In  this  way  and 
in  this  way  only,  do  we  pray  aright." 

"  Why  could  not  the  translators  of  King  James's 
version  have  given  us  this  translation  of  the  Lord's 
prayer,  if  it  is  an  exact  translation?  "  asked  Eliz- 
abeth. 

"  I  suppose  because  they  thought  a  prayer  must 
be  a  supplication,  pure  and  simple,  and  did  not  under- 
stand that  if  we  expect  answers  we  must  have  a  sense 
of  realization  as  well  as  desire.  They  translated  ac- 
cording to  their  highest  understanding.  The  prayer 
that  invariably  brings  results  is  that  which  realizes 
God  as  the  creator  of  nothing  but  good  —  which  is, 
therefore,  all  that  really  is  —  and  that  there  is  noth- 
ing for  which  we  can  ask  that  is  not  already  ours. 
This  must  have  been  the  meaning  of  the  Master's 
words :  '  What  things  soever  ye  desire,  when  ye  pray, 
believe  that  ye  receive  them,'  and  likewise  we  must 
pray  for  nothing  but  good,  for  good  is  all  there 
is." 


300        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Their  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance 
of  Captain  Shway. 

"  Your  servant  is  outside,"  he  said,  "  and  says  he 
must  see  you  at  once." 

"  My  student,  you  mean.    Admit  him." 

Dhuleep  Mingh  entered  in  great  haste.  His  man- 
ner indicated  his  excitement.  He  stood  twirling  his 
hat  in  his  hand,  waiting  permission  to  speak. 

"Well,  out  with  it!"  said  Paul.  "What  has 
happened?  " 

"  Sahib,  a  runner  has  just  come  in  from  the  front ; 
he  brings  word  that  he  met  the  troops  well  on  the 
road  and  that  the  enemy  at  dark  had  bivouacked  for 
the  night  —  " 

"  That  is  good  news !  " 

"  But,  Sahib,  the  man  is  sick.  He  needs  to  be 
awakened  from  his  bad  dream." 

"  Well,  go  and  awaken  him !  " 

"  What !  Dhuleep  Mingh  waken  him  ?  Oh,  Sahib, 
Dhuleep  Mingh  has  not  the  power." 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  knows  how  to  pray.  God  will 
answer  your  prayer  the  same  as  he  will  mine.  You 
know  Jesus*  commands.  It  is  your  work  and  you 
must  carry  the  message.  Have  no  fear,  Dhuleep 
Mingh.  Simply  believe." 

"  Dhuleep  Mingh  will  go.  You  will  hold  a  good 
thought  for  him  ?  " 

"  There  is  but  one  Mind,"  said  Paul ;  "  and  all 
men,  in  Christ,  reflect  this  Mind.  Now  go !  " 

Dhuleep  Mingh  turned  and  hastily  took  his  de- 
parture. Elizabeth  looked  at  Paul  in  wonderment. 
"  Do  you  mean  it?  "  she  asked.  "  Do  you  mean  that 


PAUL   AND    ELIZABETH  301 

this  aged  and  ignorant  Burman,  who  never  heard  of 
God  until  a  month  ago,  can  do  this  work?  " 

"  He  believes  and  has  been  baptized  with  the 
spirit,"  said  Paul.  "  He  received  the  word  as  a  little 
child  and  he  has  found  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 


CHAPTER    XIX 

THE    ABDUCTION 

EARLY  the  next  morning,  Paul  hastened  outside 
the  walls  to  the  field  hospital,  where  Mr.  Lombard  was 
being  cared  for.  Early  as  it  was,  there  was  one  there 
before  him.  When  the  regiment  left  the  city  the 
previous  night,  and  it  was  desired  to  take  with  it  all 
the  surgical  staff,  Nora  had  volunteered  to  take 
charge  of  the  five  or  six  patients,  among  whom  was 
Mr.  Lombard,  who,  according  to  the  surgeon's  report, 
was  in  the  most  serious  condition  of  any  in  the  hospi- 
tal. The  bullet  in  his  chest  had  been  located  after 
some  difficulty  and  removed,  but  the  surgeon  declared 
the  wound  serious,  and  neither  he  nor  his  assistants 
could  account  for  the  little  weakness  the  patient  dis- 
played. Major  O'Keefe  had  expected  that  probably 
an  attempt  would  be  made  to  remove  him  within  the 
city,  and  had  explained  to  Nora  the  care  with  which 
he  must  be  handled. 

When  Paul  arrived,  Nora  had  just  made  the 
rounds  and  was  seated  on  a  camp  stool  outside  the 
largest  tent.  She  was  in  a  most  unhappy  frame  of 
mind  and  her  face  showed  it  so  plainly  that  Paul 
could  not  fail  to  recognize  it  as  he  bade  her  good 
morning  and  made  himself  known. 

302. 


THE    ABDUCTION  303 

"  Sure,  an  introduction  is  hardly  necessary,  Mr. 
Anthony.  I  saw  you  at  a  distance  yesterday,  and  I 
had  already  heard  much  about  you  from  Miss  Ray- 
mond." 

At  mention  of  Elizabeth,  a  look  of  such  intense 
scorn  passed  over  the  girl's  naturally  br  ght  and 
happy  face  that  Paul  at  once  guessed  that  it  must 
be  something  relating  to  Elizabeth  that  had  to  do 
with  the  sense  of  inharmony  he  detected. 

"  Miss  Raymond  is  one  of  my  very  good  friends," 
he  said,  with  a  pleasant  smile.  "  She  is  a  noble 
woman  and  I  cannot  imagine  her  speaking  ill  of  any 
one;  therefore  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  she  had 
given  me  a  better  recommendation  than  I  deserve. 
Her  natural  disposition  is  to  see  the  best  in  every- 
thing." 

Nora  shot  a  hasty  glance  at  him  as  though  to  read 
his  thoughts.  "  I  wonder  if  he  is  in  love  with  her? 
If  he  is  I'll  just  make  him  a  bit  jealous  and  see  if  he'll 
still  keep  his  high  opinion  of  her.  Aloud  she  said: 
"  Sure,  she'll  make  a  fine  princess !  " 

"  A  fine  princess  she  surely  would  make,"  declared 
Paul,  "  but  I  doubt  if  she  has  ever  considered  such 
i  thing.  I  do  not  believe  Miss  Raymond  would  marry 
a.  man  with  the  present  beliefs  of  Prince  Sindhu." 

"  Sure,  if  he  wants  her  very  bad,  he'll  change  his 
beliefs  long  enough  to  get  her." 

"  You  do  not  seem  to  have  a  very  high  opinion  of 
mankind,  Miss  O'Keefe." 

The  evident  look  of  sympathy  on  Paul's  face  and 
his  half-amused  smile  irritated  Nora  and  she  replied 
with  a  laugh  entirely  foreign  to  her  warm  heart: 


304        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Nor  of  womankind,  either.  Faith,  you'll  find  tkera 
all  a  deceitful  lot." 

"Even  yourself." 

Nora's  face  flushed.  "  Seeing  that  you  know  noth- 
ing about  me,  it  might  be  just  as  well  to  leave  me  out 
of  the  question,"  she  replied  sharply. 

Paul  looked  at  her  earnestly.  "  I  know  enough 
about  you  to  know  that  you  are  deceitful.  You  are 
even  now  deceiving  yourself." 

If  he  had  suddenly  turned  a  handspring  over  the 
tent,  Nora  would  not  have  been  one  whit  more  sur- 
prised. She  flushed  to  the  roots  of  her  jet  black  hair 
and  her  eyes  fell  before  his  searching  gaze.  She 
wished  that  he  would  go  on  about  his  business,  but 
he  seemed  in  no  haste. 

"  I  wonder  what  the  hateful  thing  will  say  next  ?  " 
was  her  mental  comment.  Aloud  she  said :  "  You're 
very  plain-spoken,  Mr.  Anthony.  Is  that  one  of  your 
faults  or  virtues?  " 

"  It  may  be  a  fault,"  he  said  with  great  earnest- 
ness, "  but  at  this  particular  time  I  hope  it  may 
prove  a  virtue.  I  can  see  you  are  unhappy.  I  have 
learned  that  it  is  invariably  our  false  beliefs  which 
make  us  unhappy.  Therefore,  putting  two  and  two 
together,  I  judge  that  you  have  a  false  belief  about 
something  or  somebody.  In  making  a  reality  of  this 
false  belief  you  are  deceiving  yourself." 

Nora  had  never  had  any  one  talk  to  her  like  this 
before.  Most  men  either  flattered  or  made  love  to 
her.  To  be  told  her  faults  by  an  almost  total  stran- 
ger was  a  new  experience.  It  made  her  angry,  and 
still  she  recognized  his  good  intention,  and  looked 


THE    ABDUCTION  305 

at  him  with  open-eyed  wonder  as  she  asked  in  a  some- 
what milder  tone: 

"  And  what  is  my  false  belief  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,  Miss  O'Keefe.  If  I  did  I  might 
help  you  change  it.  Take  my  word  for  it,  however, 
whatever  your  belief,  if  it  makes  you  unhappy,  it  is 
untrue,  because  it  is  not  of  God.  Only  the  good  and 
true  can  possibly  come  from  Him." 

Nora's  face  expressed  even  greater  surprise :  "  You 
talk  about  God  as  though  you  were  well  acquainted 
with  Him." 

"  I  am !  "  declared  Paul.  "  That  is  why  I  speak 
with  such  assurance.  Take  my  word  as  the  truth  in 
this  matter  and  you  will  lose  this  sense  of  inharmony 
and  unhappiness." 

She  would  like  to  have  asked  more  questions,  but 
was  prevented  by  his  saying :  "  I  am  here  at  the  re- 
quest of  Prince  Sindhu  to  remove  Mr.  Lombard  to 
the  palace.  He  thinks  all  the  space  here  will  be 
needed  when  the  troops  return.  Come,  I  will  help  to 
get  him  ready." 

His  words  and  manner  caused  her,  for  the  time 
being,  to  entirely  forget  her  own  troubles  in  the  more 
apparent  troubles  of  others. 

u  Father  gave  explicit  orders  about  removing 
him,"  she  exclaimed.  "  There  is  no  ambulance  here, 
and  it  will  be  necessary  to  send  to  the  city  for  a  con- 
veyance." 

"  I  think  that  we  shall  be  able  to  get  along  without 
one,"  said  Paul. 

Nora  looked  at  him  in  amazement.  "  Sure,  you 
don't  think  you  can  carry  him,  do  you?  " 


306        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Oh,  no,"  laughed  Paul.  "  I  think  we  shall  find 
him  able  to  walk." 

Again  she  looked  at  him  as  though  he  had  lost  his 
senses.  "  Walk !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Walk  with  that 
hole  in  him !  " 

"  Have  you  examined  the  wound  this  morning?  " 

"  No.  I  have  simply  moistened  it  through  the 
dressing." 

"  We  may  find  it  healed  over,"  suggested  Paul. 

"  Impossible,  Mr.  Anthony !  With  the  best  of  con- 
ditions it  cannot  heal  for  days." 

"  Well,"  said  Paul,  throwing  back  the  fly  of  the 
tent,  "  we  will  see  how  Mr.  Lombard  feels  about  it." 

The  patient  greeted  them  with  a  hearty  "  good 
morning !  " 

"  You  are  looking  quite  well,"  was  Paul's  response. 
"  Do  you  feel  well  enough  to  walk  to  town  ?  " 

Mr.  Lombard  looked  at  Paul  inquiringly.  "  What 
do  you  think  about  it?  " 

"  You  know  what  I  think,  Mr.  Lombard.  If  you 
feel  like  walking,  there  is  no  reason  why  you  should 
not." 

"  Yes,  there  is,"  exclaimed  Nora  decisively. 

"  If  you  say  so,  Mr.  Anthony,  I  will  go,"  declared 
Mr.  Lombard,  "  although  I  must  say  I  have  been  hav- 
ing a  very  pleasant  time  with  Miss  Nora.  She  and 
I  are  old  friends,  you  know." 

"  No,  I  did  not.  That  is  why  she  is  so  concerned 
about  you.  She  thinks  it  impossible  to  move  you 
without  a  wagon." 

"  I  know  that  I  can  walk  if  you  say  so,"  replied 
Mr.  Lombard,  with  the  most  perfect  confidence. 


THE    ABDUCTION  307 

**  Time  was,  however,  when  you  could  not  have  induced 
me  to  leave  Miss  Nora." 

"  And  what  has  caused  the  change  ?  "  asked  Nora, 
with  much  curiosity. 

"  Without  any  disparagement  to  you,  Miss  Nora, 
I  have  found  something  more  profitable  to  think 
about." 

Mr.  Lombard  laughed  and  looked  knowingly  at 
Paul. 

"  Well,  I  shall  never  consent  to  your  being  moved 
in  this  manner,"  declared  Nora.  "  Father  would  not 
allow  it  if  he  were  here ;  neither  shall  I." 

"  Your  father  took  this  case  away  from  me,  Miss 
O'Keefe,  because  he  had  the  power.  I  think  that  I 
shall  now  have  to  take  it  from  you  for  the  same 
reason." 

Nora's  face  took  on  a  puzzled  expression. 

"  I  do  not  understand,"  she  said.  "  I  thought  the 
case  came  to  father  naturally." 

"  It  doubtless  seemed  that  way  to  you,  but  we  will 
not  discuss  it.  Suppose  we  look  at  the  wound.  Even 
you  may  decide  that  altogether  too  much  has  been 
made  of  it.  A  rifle  ball  is  not  very  large  as  com- 
pared with  infinite  Mind." 

"  I  think  that  I  begin  to  understand  just  a  little 
of  what  you  are  talking  about,"  said  Nora  slowly,  as 
the  first  suggestion  of  the  truth  dawned  upon  her. 
"  Yes,  we  will  have  a  look  at  the  wound." 

The  bandages  were  carefully  removed  and  the 
dressing  raised.  As  Nora  obtained  a  sight  of  the 
wound  she  uttered  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"  Wonderful !  "    she  exclaimed.     "  The  wound  is 


308        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

healed  over,  and  is  only  slightly  inflamed.  There  is 
not  even  a  chance  for  it  to  suppurate.  I  do  not  think 
that  is  right.  Unless  the  wound  is  kept  open  and 
allowed  to  drain  itself,  there  will  certainly  be  com- 
plications." 

"  I  think  not,"  said  Paul.  "  We  will  just  know 
that  it  will  be  all  right." 

"  But  I  don't  understand  it,"  insisted  Nora.  "  Do 
you,  Mr.  Lombard?  " 

The  Hebrew  reached  for  a  Bible  that  lay  on  a 
stand  at  the  head  of  his  bed.  Turning  to  Jeremiah, 
he  read :  "  I  will  restore  health  unto  thee,  and  I  will 
heal  thee  of  thy  wounds,  saith  the  Lord ;  because 
they  call  thee  an  Outcast,  saying,  This  is  Zion, 
whom  no  man  seeketh  after." 

"  This,"  said  Mr.  Lombard,  "  was  a  promise  made 
to  the  Children  of  Israel.  I  have  learned  in  Mrs. 
Eddy's  wonderful  book  that  the  Children  of  Israel  are 
those  who  have  experienced  spiritual  power.  Surely, 
then,  I  am  doubly  one." 

Again  he  turned  to  the  107th  psalm  and  read: 
"  He  sent  his  word  and  healed  them."  Turning  his 
eyes  to  Nora  he  said :  "  He  sent  His  word  —  His  un- 
derstanding —  through  Mr.  Anthony,  and  Christ,  the 
divine  manifestation  of  Truth,  has  healed  me.  I  know 
that  I  am  able  to  walk  to  the  city." 

Nora  uttered  no  further  protest.  "  You  have  a 
God,"  she  said  as  they  were  leaving,  "  of  whom  I  am 
ignorant.  Is  it  the  same  God,  Mr.  Anthony,  who 
knows  no  inharmony?  " 

"  The  very  same.  Think  over  what  I  have  said. 
Good-by."  He  extended  his  hand  and  she  grasped 


THE    ABDUCTION  509 

it  impulsively.  "  If  I  can  be  of  any  service  to  you, 
Miss  O'Keefe,  do  not  hesitate  to  call  on  me." 

"  I  certainly  shall  not,"  she  said  to  herself  as  she 
watched  them  until  they  disappeared  within  the  gates. 

If  Nora  had  been  surprised  at  Mr.  Lombard's  de- 
parture, Elder  Meredith  was  even  more  surprised  at 
his  arrival  at  the  palace.  When  he  encountered  him 
entering  the  great  rotunda  on  Paul's  arm  shortly 
after  breakfast,  he  was  simply  shocked  so  far  out  of 
his  ordinary  complacency  that  he  nearly  collapsed. 
"  Lombard !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  What  madness  is 
this  ?  Have  the  surgeons  gone  insane  ?  " 

"  No,  only  to  battle,  Elder ! "  and  Mr.  Lombard 
laughed  outright  at  his  consternation. 

"  Then  you  have  left  the  hospital  without  author- 
ity." 

"  No,  I  came  upon  Prince  Sindhu's  order.  He 
thought  they  would  need  the  room." 

"  Oh,  I  see !  "  said  the  clergyman,  with  a  sigh  of 
relief.  "  You  are  simply  being  removed  to  your 
room.  How  is  the  wound?  " 

"  Healed." 

The  look  of  surprise  returned  to  Elder  Meredith's 
face,  and  Mr.  Lombard  chuckled  to  himself  as  he  con- 
tinued :  "  For  further  particulars  read  Jeremiah  xxx, 
17,  and  Mark  xvi,  18." 

He  passed  into  his  room,  leaving  Elder  Meredith 
in  a  state  of  mind  that  cannot  be  appreciated  by  one 
who  has  not  been  in  his  exact  position. 

"  I  shall  certainly  protest  to  Major  O'Keefe  and 
Prince  Sindhu,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  This  man  An- 
thony must  be  suppressed.  With  his  hypnotism  he 


PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

is  putting  himself  on  an  equality  with  the  apostles, 
if  not  with  Jesus  himself.  Personally,  of  course,  it 
is  nothing  to  me,  but  Lombard  may  die  from  this 
foolishness !  " 

He  felt  that  he  must  relieve  his  feelings,  and  en- 
tered the  library,  where  Elizabeth  and  Mrs.  Johnson 
were  chatting  over  the  events  of  the  night. 

"  What  do  you  think ! "  he  exclaimed,  and  then 
without  giving  them  a  chance  to  tell  what  they 
thought,  he  informed  them  about  Mr.  Lombard. 

"Wonderful!"    ejaculated  Mrs.  Johnson. 

"  Horrible !  you  mean,"  said  the  elder. 

"  Why,  Elder  Meredith !  "  said  Mrs.  Johnson, 
shocked  beyond  measure.  "  Are  you  not  glad  to  see 
him  well?  " 

"  He  is  not  well !  Such  a  thing  is  impossible.  An- 
thony has  simply  hypnotized  him  into  thinking  he  is 
well.  He  will  die  if  something  is  not  done !  " 

"  I  would  not  be  alarmed  if  I  were  you,"  said  Eliz- 
abeth quietly,  although  her  heart  beat  high  with  joy 
over  this  wonderful  proof  of  the  healing  power  of 
the  Christ-truth.  "  He  is  naturally  healthy  and 
strong,  and  will,  I  am  sure,  be  all  right." 

"  The  surgeons  took  out  the  bullet,  did  they  not  ?  " 
asked  Mrs.  Johnson. 

"  I  suppose  so,"  replied  the  elder. 

"  Well,  that  was  all  they  could  do.  They  have  to 
trust  to  some  higher  power  to  do  the  rest.  They  call 
it  nature,  but  we  Christians  know  that  God  governs 
nature.  I  am  sure  that  God  can  heal  him  just  as  well 
here  as  in  the  hospital." 

Elder  Meredith  looked  at  the  two  women  as  though 


THE    ABDUCTION  311 

they  had  suddenly  lost  their  minds.  "  I  shall  be  glad 
M  hen  I  can  get  you  all  at  work !  "  he  exclaimed,  as 
he  turned  on  his  heel  and  left  the  room. 

For  some  minutes  Elizabeth  sat  in  a  deep  study, 
while  Mrs.  Johnson  picked  up  a  book  and  slowly 
turned  the  pages. 

"  Mrs.  Johnson,"  at  length  said  Elizabeth,  rising, 
*'  I  just  cannot  have  Nora  thinking  those  unkind  and 
untrue  thoughts  about  me.  I  am  sure  that  she  has 
come  to  her  senses  by  this  time,  and  I  must  go  and 
see  her.  Will  you  come  along?  " 

"  Why,  of  course  I  will.  The  idea  of  leaving  that 
poor  child  out  there  all  alone  is  scandalous  anyway." 

"  There  is  a  small  guard  *  out  there '  that  would 
fight  for  her,"  laughed  Elizabeth.  "  I  was  not  think- 
ing about  her  loneliness,  but  about  the  unhappiness 
which  error  always  brings." 

"  Well,  wait  just  a  minute  until  I  tell  David  where 
I  am  going,  and  then  1  will  be  with  you." 

Fifteen  minutes  later  the  two  women  passed  out 
of  the  city.  It  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  mile 
to  camp,  and  as  they  came  out  of  the  gate,  across  the 
plain  they  could  see  the  red  cross  flag  flying  over 
the  hospital  tent.  In  the  city  the  streets  were  filled 
with  people,  who  jostled  them  as  they  passed,  but 
out  on  the  open  plain  there  were  not  so  many,  al- 
though there  was  a  fair  sprinkling  of  pedestrians. 
The  walls  were  deserted  save  for  the  sentries,  but  all 
the  points  of  vantage  on  the  mountain  back  of  the 
city  were  black  with  people  looking  expectantly  north- 
ward for  the  first  signs  of  a  courier  with  news  of  the 
battle.  Several  trains  of  donkeys,  bearing  fuel,  were 


812        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

trailing  across  the  field  in  the  direction  of  the  camp, 
while  groups  of  horsemen  were  riding  slowly  over 
the  great  campus. 

There  was  no  person  in  Annakan  more  alive  to  the 
situation  than  Nora.  Having  been  brought  up  in 
the  army,  she  realized  fully  the  unexpected  fortunes 
of  war.  She  had  again  taken  her  seat  outside  the  big 
tent  and  was  gazing  toward  the  city  and  mountains 
in  the  distance,  when  she  recognized  Elizabeth  and  her 
companion  as  they  came  out  of  the  gates.  At  sight 
of  them  her  heart  beat  faster,  realizing,  as  she  did, 
what  must  be  their  mission. 

"  I  don't  want  to  see  her !  "  exclaimed  Nora,  jump- 
ing up.  "  I  don't  care  if  I  am  wrong.  I  don't  want 
to  see  her !  I  won't  see  her.  She  has  deceived  me  and 
I  hate  her !  " 

She  knew  that  her  thoughts  were  wicked,  but  she 
seemed  to  glory  in  them.  She  was  about  to  summon 
one  of  the  guard  and  give  an  order  to  allow  no  one 
to  approach  the  tent,  when  she  noticed  a  boy  run- 
ning to  overtake  the  approaching  pair.  They 
stopped  as  the  boy  came  up  and  talked  a  couple  of 
minutes.  The  boy  pointed  toward  the  mountain,  and 
presently  the  women  turned  and  followed  him. 

From  her  position  Nora  watched  them  as  they 
walked  slowly  toward  the  northern  and  eastern  cor- 
ner of  the  city  wall.  As  they  neared  it,  a  company 
of  half  a  dozen  horsemen  approached  from  around 
the  corner.  Then  suddenly,  even  while  she  looked, 
the  horsemen  surrounded  the  women,  dismounted  and 
seized  them.  In  spite  of  their  struggles  they  were 
quickly  bound,  lifted  upon  the  backs  of  a  couple  of 


THE    ABDUCTION  313 

led  horses,  and  the  entire  band  disappeared  again 
around  the  angle  of  the  wall.  The  whole  transaction 
had  not  taken  three  minutes. 

The  moment  Nora  saw  the  assault,  she  rushed  out 
to  give  the  alarm.  As  she  ran,  the  thought  came  to 
her,  "  It's  a  good  way  to  get  rid  of  her.  Don't  do 
it." 

Unconsciously  she  came  to  a  sudden  stop.  "  They 
won't  hurt  her,"  came  the  voice  of  the  tempter. 
"  She  can  be  ransomed  in  a  few  days.  It  will  give 
you  a  chance  to  win  the  prince." 

Slowly  Nora  turned  back  toward  the  hospital  tent. 
Her  heart  was  beating  so  that  she  could  almost  hear 
it.  She  knew  that  she  was  doing  a  cowardly  and 
despicable  thing,  but  the  same  angry  jealousy  that 
had  controlled  her  actions  for  the  past  twenty-four 
hours  was  still  controlling  them.  Desperate  war  be- 
tween good  and  evil  was  being  waged  within,  and  the 
longer  she  gave  the  evil  power,  the  more  powerful  it 
seemed  to  become. 

"  It  serves  her  right ! "  said  the  voice  of  error  as 
Nora  resumed  her  seat. 

"  You  are  deceiving  yourself,"  came  the  voice  of 
truth,  echoing  the  words  she  had  heard  that  morning. 

"  You  are  not,"  said  the  voice  of  error.  "  She 
deceived  you  and  this  is  her  punishment.  Besides,  you 
cannot  leave  to  give  the  alarm  now.  When  the 
troops  return,  you  can  tell  them  what  you  have  seen. 
Maybe  they  were  not  being  abducted,  —  and  it  will 
give  you  a  chance  to  see  the  prince.  Once  he  sees 
you,  he  will  prefer  you.  Just  wait." 

For  more  than  an  hour  the  power  of  good  and 


314        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

evil  struggled  for  possession  of  the  girl.  Suddenly 
in  the  midst  of  it  came  the  voice  of  Paul,  "  It  is  not 
of  God !  "  There  was  no  chance  for  error  to  dispute 
this  and  Nora  knew  it.  Then  like  a  flash  came  to 
her  memory  the  events  of  the  morning.  With  a  force 
that  fairly  suffocated  her  came  the  thought;  What 
must  be  the  ever-present  power,  the  omniscience  of 
a  God  who  could  do  such  a  wonderful  work.  Her 
cheeks  blanched  and  the  blood  left  her  heart.  She 
looked  fearfully  about  as  expecting  to  see  before  her 
this  terrible  presence.  With  an  exclamation  that  was 
almost  a  shriek,  she  rushed  from  the  tent  to  the  first 
soldier  she  saw. 

"Quick!"  she  cried.  "Quick!  Take  me  to  the 
city!  Take  me  to  Mr.  Anthony!  The  American 
women  have  been  stolen!  I  saw  them  sei/e  them  over 
by  the  wall !  Quick !  Quick !  " 

She  seized  the  man  by  the  arm  and  urged  him 
toward  the  city.  Astounded  by  the  unexpected  news 
and  by  the  girl's  awful  earnestness,  lie  followed  rather 
than  led  her  toward  the  gate.  Through  it  they  ran, 
and  on  toward  the  palace.  They  did  not  notice  in 
fiteir  excitement  that  others  also  were  running  in 
the  same  direction.  On  the  palace  steps  a  great 
crowd  had  assembled.  There  were  shouts  from  within 
and  then  the  noise  of  rifle  shots.  The  mob  began 
to  surge  back,  and  they  were  caught  in  the  great 
rushing  current  of  humanity,  and  borne  away  from 
the  steps  just  as  a  volley  was  fired  from  the  bro.-id 
entrance  and  a  crowd  of  men  in  uniform  came  pour- 
ing out.  The  officer  in  command  tried  to  stop  the 
men,  but  in  vain,  and  he,  too,  was  quickly  forced 


THE   ABDUCTION  31* 

out  of  the  twilling  by  the  palace  guard,  with  Cap- 
tain Shway  at  its  bead. 

Caught  for  a  moment  in  the  ebbing  tide  of  shout- 
ing and  shrieking  Orientals  which  swept  down  the 
steps,  Nora  and  her  escort  were  forced  b*ck  into  the 
street,  but  as  the  mob  crowded  past,  they  hdki  their 
own,  and  when  it  gradually  diminished,  they  pushed 
their  way  again  through  the  rabble,  and  back  to  the 
palace.  Recognizing  the  British  uniform  of  the 
dragoon.  Captain  Shway  opened  his  ranks  sufficiently 
to  admit  them.  Forcing  her  way  into  the  palace,  the 
first  person  Nora  encountered  was  Mr.  Lombard. 

« Where  is  Mr,  Anthony ?*>  she  asked,  "Quick, 
teU  me  where  I  can  find  Mr.  Anthony!" 

"Why,  Miss  Nora,**  Mr.  Lombard  exclaimed, 
"  what  are  you  doing  here?  Has  the  trouble  spread 
beyond  the  city?** 

**Dont  ask  me  any  questions.  I  must  see  Mr* 
Anthony!" 

Paul  was  busy  in  the  rear  of  the  rotunda  trying  to 
establish  something  like  order  among  the  palace  em- 
ployes, when  he  heard  his  name  called  from  the  front. 
Crowding  forward,  closely  followed  by  Elder  Mere- 
dith and  Rer.  Johnson,  he  shouted,  "Here  I  am! 
Who  wants  me?  ** 

« Oh,  Mr,  Anthony!**  Nora  fairly  shrieked,  as  she 
caught  sight  of  him.  M  They'Te  stolen  Elizabeth  and 
Mrs.  Johnson!** 

Then,  to  main  good  her  mortal  rights  as  a  woma% 
she  fainted  into  th*  arms  of  the  dragoon. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  PALACE 

To  understand  the  condition  of  affairs  at  the  pal- 
ace, it  is  necessary  to  explain  that  the  conspiracy  of 
Moung  Than  and  Boh  Galay,  which  resulted  in  the 
attempt  upon  the  life  of  Paul,  was  more  extended 
than  Prince  Sindhu  or  any  of  his  officers  had  imag- 
ined. It  not  only  contemplated  the  removal  of  Paul, 
Elizabeth,  and  all  the  other  foreigners,  but  the  ab- 
duction of  the  Princess  Sofia.  The  object  was  to  hold 
her  as  a  hostage  for  the  safety  of  the  conspirators, 
because  it  was  realized  that  the  arrest  of  their  chief 
would  most  certainly  follow.  It  was  hoped  that  this 
arrest  would  be  considerably  delayed  by  the  arrange- 
ment of  a  series  of  hiding-places.  The  too  hasty  work 
of  the  hirelings  had,  however,  greatly  interfered  with 
the  plans. 

When  the  troops  were  called  away  so  suddenly,  the 
friends  of  Moung  Than  had  looked  upon  it  as  an  op- 
portune time  to  retrieve  their  mistakes.  Knowing  of 
the  arrest  of  Moung  Than  and  Boh  Galay,  and  ma- 
king certain  that  they  were  confined  within  the  pal- 
ace, arrangements  were  made  as  soon  as  the  Prince 
had  left  the  city  to  take  possession  of  the  palace, 
seize  the  Princess,  and  free  their  leaders.  There 

316 


THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  PALACE      317 

was  in  the  minds  of  the  conspirators  only  one  thing 
to  prevent  a  successful  termination  of  the  arrange- 
ments. This  was  that  the  battle  with  the  Tartars 
might  be  of  such  short  duration  that  the  troops  would 
be  back  in  the  city  before  it  could  be  carried  into 
effect. 

The  force  with  which  it  was  expected  to  capture 
the  palace  was  a  battalion  of  infantry,  known  as  the 
garrison  guard,  which  it  had  been  expected  would  be 
left  in  the  city  when  the  other  troops  started  for  the 
foothills.  General  Weing  Hla  had,  however,  decided 
that  he  did  not  need  as  large  a  force  in  the  city,  and 
all  but  one  company  of  the  battalion  had,  therefore, 
been  ordered  to  the  foothills  with  General  Poh  Myah. 
It  was  with  this  one  company,  then,  that  the  friends 
of  Moung  Than  undertook  to  capture  the  palace  and 
rescue  him. 

Shortly  before  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the 
friends  of  Moung  Than  appeared  at  the  palace.  A 
dozen  young  nobles,  wearing  their  side  arms,  entered 
the  building  and,  in  a  most  respectful  manner,  re- 
quested an  audience  with  Princess  Sofia.  Despite 
their  manner,  the  suspicions  of  Captain  Shway  were 
aroused,  and  he  determined  not  to  be  taken  unawares. 
Ushering  the  callers  into  the  audience-room,  he 
placed  a  guard  at  the  door  and  sought  the  princess. 
Quickly  explaining  his  mission  and  his  suspicions,  he 
suggested  that  Paul  be  summoned,  and  while  a  plan 
for  thwarting  any  attempt  to  liberate  the  conspira- 
tors was  being  formed  by  the  trio,  Oo  Toung-lay  was 
sent  as  a  messenger  from  the  princess  to  say  that  she 
would  see  them  in  her  own  apartments  shortly. 


318        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Paul  hastily  decided  in  his  own  mind  that  as  this 
was  error  he  must  handle  it  scientifically  as  such,  and 
that  the  quicker  it  was  uncovered  the  better.  He, 
therefore,  advised  that  instead  of  ushering  the  young 
men  immediately  into  the  presence  of  the  Princess, 
they  should  first  make  known  their  mission  to  him, 
although  at  that  time  he  had  no  thought  that  an 
attempt  to  abduct  Sofia  was  contemplated. 

"  How  many  of  them  are  there,  Captain?  "  asked 
Paul. 

"  Twelve." 

"  Station  that  number  of  your  men  in  the  ante- 
room, and  let  an  equal  number  guard  the  outer  door 
when  they  are  admitted  to  this  room.  In  the  event  of 
their  showing  any  disposition  to  use  force,  quickly 
let  all  the  men  enter  and  close  the  doors." 

"  It  will  not  do !  "  exclaimed  the  Princess.  "  These 
young  nobles  are  much  more  than  a  match  for  twice 
as  many  guardsmen.  I  shall  not  trust  myself  among 
them  with  so  small  a  force." 

"  I  do  not  intend  that  you  shall,"  answered  Paul 
with  emphasis.  "  You  will  not  be  here.  I  shall  be 
the  only  one  in  danger." 

"You?" 

"  Yes,  I,"  replied  Paul,  with  a  smile  of  perfect  con- 
fidence, "  and  for  me  there  need  be  no  fear." 

"  You  shall  not ! "  exclaimed  Sofia,  with  determi- 
nation. "  Twice,  already,  have  you  riskeo  your  life 
for  me." 

He  looked  at  her  with  an  expression  of  self-con- 
scious power  in  his  steel  gray  eyes,  as  he  replied: 

"  Remember,  Princess  Sofia,  that  you  hare  given 


THE   ATTACK   ON   THE   PALACE 

me  the  title  of  friend.     I  claim  this  opportunity  to 
prove  my  right  to  the  title,  even  to  the  extreme  test." 

She  recognized  his  meaning,  and  it  was  quite  im- 
possible for  her  to  oppose  his  authority. 

"  Personally,"  he  continued,  **  I  should  be  willing 
to  meet  these  men  alone.  We  should  have  our  inter- 
view and  they  would  depart,  but  I  am  well  aware, 
that  under  the  conditions  now  existing  in  the  state, 
Prince  Sindhu  would  demand  their  arrest  in  case  they 
defy  the  constituted  authority.  That  is  the  only 
reason  for  a  show  of  force." 

"  I  think  Mr.  Anthony's  plan  is  the  correct  one,'* 
said  Captain  Shway,  "  and  as  a  further  protection, 
I  shall  remain  with  the  princess  in  the  anteroom.  I 
am  personally  responsible  for  her  safety." 

"  Very  well,  Captain.  Order  the  young  men  ad- 
mitted." 

Captain  Shway  stepped  to  the  door.  As  the  prin- 
cess crossed  to  the  anteroom  she  extended  her  hand 
to  Paul. 

"  Remember  that  if  anything  happens,"  she  said 
with  a  tender  smile,  but  with  a  grasp  of  her  hand  as 
firm  as  steel,  "  I  am  also  your  friend,  and  claim  an 
equal  right  to  prove  my  title." 

Paul  was  deeply  touched,  and  for  the  first  time 
since  their  acquaintance  there  came  to  him,  together 
with  a  feeling  of  tenderness,  a  thought  of  what  a  wife 
such  a  woman  would  make.  She  must  have  noted  the 
look  upon  his  face,  for  a  thrill  passed  through  her  as 
she  grasped  his  hand.  It  was  a  moment  that  comes 
to  a  man  and  woman  but  once  in  a  lifetime. 

"**  The  right  is  granted,  Princess,  but  nothing  will 


320        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

happen.  Let  us  know  that  with  God  —  omniscient 
.Mind  —  there  are  no  accidents." 

He  opened  the  anteroom  door  and  she  passed  out. 
Taking  his  position  behind  the  small  table  which  stood 
•on  the  opposite  side  of  the  room,  he  awaited  the  vis- 
itors. There  was  a  moment's  delay.  Then  he  heard 
^hem  coming  and  noted  at  a  glance  that  Captain 
Shway  stood,  with  lance  in  hand,  just  within  the  door 
of  the  anteroom,  which  was  slightly  ajar.  The  foot- 
steps quickened,  and  almost  on  a  run  the  conspirators 
reached  the  outer  door. 

"  Seize  the  princess !  "  exclaimed  one,  who  seemed 
to  be  the  leader,  as  he  entered.  He  stopped  for  an 
instant  upon  seeing  Paul  instead  of  Sofia  calmly  wait- 
ing to  receive  them.  "  We  are  betrayed !  Death  to 
the  foreigner !  Fly  for  your  lives !  "  he  shouted,  as, 
sword  in  hand,  he  rushed  upon  Paul. 

Unarmed,  but  fearless  and  confident,  Paul  awaited 
the  attack. 

The  would-be  assassin  had  not  advanced  five  paces 
«re  he  encountered  the  sharp  point  of  a  lance  in  the 
hands  of  Captain  Shway,  who  sprang  out  of  the  ante- 
room to  meet  him.  In  another  moment  he  would  have 
been  spitted  on  the  long,  slender  weapon,  but  Paul, 
leaping  over  the  table,  seized  the  lance  and  turned  it 
aside,  exclaiming: 

"  Stop,  Boh  Shway !     Put  up  your  lance !  " 

The  ?udden  appearance  of  Captain  Shway  at  the 
head  of  a  dozen  lancers,  and  the  still  more  sudden 
action  of  Paul,  completely  unnerved  the  leader.  As 
he  felt  the  point  of  the  lance  he  involuntarily  threw 
up  his  hand,  and  with  a  clever  side  stroke  Paul 


THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  PALACE  321 

knocked  his  sword  out  of  his  hand  and  it  fell  rat- 
tling to  the  floor.  The  others,  taken  entirely  by  sur- 
prise at  the  unexpected  turn  of  affairs,  started  to 
flee,  just  as  Sofia  appeared  in  the  doorway,  exclaim- 
ing: 

"  Seize  the  conspirators !  Let  not  one  of  them- 
escape ! " 

Seeing  that  they  were  surrounded,  the  young^ 
nobles  tried  to  cut  their  way  through  the  guardsmen, 
and  for  a  moment  beat  back  the  lances  thrust  against 
them,  but  they  were  soon  overpowered  by  numbers 
and  disarmed. 

The  entire  affair  had  not  taken  more  than  four  or 
five  minutes,  but  it  had  been  long  enough  for  the 
friends  of  the  conspirators  to  give  the  alarm.  Almost 
before  Captain  Shway  could  reform  his  men  in  the 
rotunda,  the  company  of  garrison  guards  controlled 
by  Moung  Than  appeared  at  the  palace  steps. 

Throwing  aside  their  lances  and  seizing  their  En- 
fields,  the  palace  guards  awaited  the  advance.  Meet- 
ing with  no  opposition  on  the  outside,  but  consider- 
ably impeded  by  the  gathering  crowds,  the  infantry- 
men rushed  up  the  steps  regardless  of  orders,  firing  as 
they  ran.  They  had  no  sooner  entered  the  great  gate 
than  they  were  met  point  blank  with  a  volley  from  the 
rifles  of  Captain  Shway's  men.  They  turned  and  fled 
in  even  greater  disorder,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of 
their  captain  to  stop  them.  The  palace  guard  fol- 
lowed, forcing  every  one  from  the  building,  and  form- 
ing a  solid  line  on  the  steps  just  as  Nora  and  her  es- 
cort arrived. 

So  rapid  had  been  the  progress  of  events  that  Paul 


had  not  had  time  to  think  of  the  safety  of  the  mission- 
aries. In  fact  it  had  not  occurred  to  any  one  within 
the  palace  that  they  might  be  in  danger,  until  the 
appearance  of  Nora  with  the  news  of  the  abduction. 

The  information  came  as  a  most  unexpected  climax 
to  the  happenings  of  the  day,  and  a  report  of  the 
entire  affair  was  quickly  sent  to  General  Weing  Hla. 
He  at  once  dispatched  a  troop  of  horsemen  to  protect 
the  palace,  and  threw  a  cordon  of  cavalry  about  the 
entrance  to  the  infantry  barracks  to  prevent  tfif 
further  egress  of  the  mutinous  company,  or  any  com- 
munication with  it  from  the  outside.  Then  he  ha- 
stened in  person  to  the  palace  to  render  such  further 
assistance  as  might  be  necessary. 

In  the  meantime,  at  the  earnest  request  of  Sofia, 
Paul  had  assumed  entire  control  of  affairs  within  the 
palace.  Everywhere  there  was  disorder.  It  was  im- 
possible to  tell  who  were  friends  and  who  might  be 
in  the  pay  of  the  conspirators.  The  only  ones  upon 
whom  absolute  reliance  could  be  placed  were  Captain 
Shway  and  his  men.  Upon  the  advice  of  the  latter, 
not  only  were  Moung  Than  and  Boh  Galay  placed  in 
the  dungeon  underneath  the  main  structure  of  the 
palace,  but  likewise  the  other  conspirators.  Then  the 
members  of  the  royal  household  were  summoned,  and 
a  searching  personal  examination  made  of  each  one 
connected  therewith  by  Paul  and  Oo  Toung-lay. 
Those  against  whom  there  was  the  slightest  suspicion 
were  promptly  dismissed. 

While  Paul  was  busy  restoring  something  like  order 
in  the  affairs  of  the  palace,  Sofia  had  occupied  herself 
especially  with  the  foreigners.  She  had  ordered  Nora 


removed  to  her  apartments,  and  the  dragoon  who  had 
accompanied  her  had  been  stationed  as  a  guard  out- 
side her  door.  As  soon  as  the  girl  had  been  revived 
and  become  sufficiently  composed  to  give  an  account 
of  the  abduction,  Sofia  had  summoned  Mr.  Johnson 
and  Elder  Meredith,  and  together  they  had  listened 
to  her  story.  Mr.  Johnson  was  fairly  wild  with  ap- 
prehension for  the  safety  of  his  wife,  and  it  was  only 
by  the  greatest  persuasion  that  he  could  be  prevented 
from  starting  out  alone  to  find  and  rescue  her. 

"  I  cannot  remain  here  inactive,"  he  declared  as  he 
paced  the  floor,  "  not  knowing  what  my  wife  may  be 
suffering  or  what  indignities  she  may  be  undergoing. 
It  is  maddening  i  " 

"  Be  calm,  brother '.  Be  calm !  "  said  Elder  Mere- 
dith. "  It  is  only  one  of  those  trials  which  are  likely 
to  come  to  any  and  all  who  undertake  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  heathen." 

"  True !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Johnson  impatiently. 
"  But  since  we  have  been  in  Annakan  we  have  not 
preached  at  all.  We  have  done  nothing.  Perhaps 
this  comes  as  a  punishment  for  our  inactivity." 

"  How  could  we  do  anything  in  this  disturbed  con- 
dition of  affairs?  " 

"  I  notice  others  doing  things !  "  exclaimed  Mr. 
Johnson.  *'  But  that  is  not  the  question  just  now. 
I  must  do  something  to  rescue  my  wife,  or  I  shall 
lose  my  mind !  " 

"  The  very  minute  we  can  obtain  any  information 
as  to  her  possible  whereabouts,"  declared  Sofia,  "  you 
shall  not  only  be  allowed  to  go  to  her  rescue,  but  yon 
shall  be  given  such  assistance  as  will  make  your  at- 


324        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

tempt  successful.  Now  we  have  nothing  to  indicate 
who  the  abductors  may  be,  or  where  the  ladies  were 
taken.  If  we  could  only  know  the  direction  they 
took !  " 

Nora  groaned.  If  she  had  only  done  as  she  should ! 
If  she  had  given  the  alarm  at  once,  this  might  have 
teen  known. 

"  But  we  shall  certainly  hear  from  them  in  a  few 
hours,"  continued  Sofia.  "  We  shall  receive  word  and 
the  amount  of  ransom  demanded." 

"  And  who  is  to  pay  the  ransom  ?  "  groaned  Elder 
Meredith.  "  The  Board,  I  am  sure,  has  not  the  money 
at  hand." 

Sofia  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  "  Have  no  fear 
-about  the  ransom!  There  is  no  price  so  great  that 
my  brother  will  not  pay  it  to  free  Miss  Raymond." 

Again  Nora  groaned,  but  this  time  she  felt  that  the 
pain  caused  by  Sofia's  words  was  but  just  punish- 
ment. 

There  was  a  tap  at  the  door  and  the  dragoon 
opened  it  sufficiently  to  announce  a  visitor. 

"  Who  is  it  ?  "    asked  the  princess. 

"  A  boy  who  wants  to  see  the  foreign  pohn-gyee." 

"  It  must  be  some  one  to  see  you,  Elder  Meredith. 
That  is  what  they  call  you,  is  it  not  ?  " 

"  It  is  in  regard  to  the  ladies !  "  exclaimed  Elder 
.Meredith,  starting  to  his  feet.  "  Let  him  come  in !  " 

The  dragoon  stepped  outside,  and  Mr.  Johnson,  in 
liis  anxiety  to  learn  of  his  wife,  crossed  to  the  door  to 
get  the  first  news.  The  others  waited  in  breathless 
anxiety  till  the  dragoon  again  entered  with  a  bare- 
footed boy,  whom  Sofia  at  once  recognized  as  Moung 


THE   ATTACK  ON   THE   PALACE     325 

Gouk,  the  lad  who  had  been  healed  of  lameness  at 
Myang-Nee.  There  was  an  expression  of  expectant 
gladness  on  his  face  as  he  looked  round  in  search  of 
Paul.  Not  seeing  him,  he  hesitated,  became  fright- 
ened, and  at  last  threw  himself  at  Sofia's  feet. 

"  What  is  it,  Moung  Gouk  ?  "  asked  Sofia  kindly. 
"  Who  is  it  you  want  to  see?  " 

"  The  great  pohn-gyee !    Is  he  not  here  ?  " 

"  You  mean  Mr.  Anthony,"  said  the  princess,  re- 
membering the  scene  at  Myang-Nee.  "  You  mean  the 
kahla  who  made  you  walk?  " 

The  boy's  face  brightened.  "  Yes,  Princess.  The 
woon  told  me  he  was  here.  Oh,  Princess,  it  is  true? 
He  has  not  gone  away?  " 

"  No,  Moung  Gouk,  he  is  about  the  palace,  but 
will  I  not  do  just  as  well?  " 

"  Yes,  Princess,  but  they  will  kill  me  if  they  find 
out." 

"Who  will  kill  you?" 

"  The  men  who  have  stolen  the  foreign  women."1 

At  his  words  both  Elder  Meredith  and  Mr.  Johnson^ 
sprang  forward. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  them  ?  Where  is  my 
wife?"  demanded  Mr.  Johnson.  "Speak!" 

The  boy  again  buried  his  face  in  the  rug  at  Sofia's 
feet. 

"  You  have  frightened  him,"  exclaimed  Sofia 
sharply.  "  I  think  I  had  better  send  for  Mr.  An- 
thony." 

She  touched  a  bell  and  a  messenger  appeared. 
"  Find  Mr.  Anthony,"  she  ordered,  "  and  ask  him  to 
come  here  at  once." 


826        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

While  they  were  waiting  Nora  asked,  "  Are  you 
the  boy  that  spoke  to  the  ladies  out  on  the  camp- 
ground yesterday?  " 

Moung  Gouk's  eyes  were  full  of  fear  as  he  slowly 
nodded  his  head. 

"  What  did  you  tell  them?  " 

The  lad  looked  at  Sofia,  but  made  no  reply. 

"  We  had  better  wait  for  Mr.  Anthony,"  said  Sofia. 
**  Here  he  is  now,"  as  the  door  opened  to  admit  him. 

Paul  comprehended  the  scene  at  a  glance.  With- 
out any  explanations,  he  asked,  with  a  kindly  smile, 
u  Where  are  the  ladies,  Moung  Gouk  ?  " 

The  lad  had  already  sprung  to  his  side  and  was 
clinging  to  his  outstretched  hand. 

"  In  the  mountains,  Sahib." 

"Far  from  here?" 

"  No,  Sahib.  They  are  to  be  hidden  until  they  can 
t>e  taken  over  the  mountains  and  sold." 

"  Sold !  "   exclaimed  all  present  with  one  accord. 

The  boy  nodded  his  head. 

*'  Are  they  not  holding  them  for  a  ransom  ? " 
.asked  Sofia. 

"  No,  Princess,  they  are  to  be  taken  away  forever." 

"  This  is  terrible !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Johnson  in  a 
passion  of  sorrow  and  anger,  as  he  covered  his  face 
with  his  hands  and  wept. 

"  Do  not  grieve,"  said  Paul,  kindly  "lacing  his 
hand  on  Mr.  Johnson's  shoulder.  "  Remember  the 
promise :  *  He  that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the 
Most  High  shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Al- 
•lighty.'  At  least  one  of  the  ladies  fully  understands 
what  this  means,  and  we  need  hare  no  fear.  Let  us 


THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  PALACE      327 

know  that  this  seeming  trouble  is  only  another  error 
which,  must  be  destroyed  by  the  great  truth  that  God 
—  good  —  is  the  only  Mind." 

Then  turning  to  Moung  Gouk :  "  But  why  are  the 
ladies  to  be  taken  away  forever?  " 

"  So  that  Prince  Sindhu  cannot  make  them  his 
princess." 

Had  a  bomb  fallen  into  the  room  it  could  not  have 
created  greater  consternation.  A  groan  from  Nora 
and  an  exclamation  from  the  others  caused  the  lad  to 
start  as  though  he  had  been  struck. 

"  It  is  the  truth! "  he  declared.  "  That  is  why  I 
came  to  tell  the  great  pohn-gyee.  It  was  the  most 
I  could  do  for  what  he  did  for  me." 

"  It  is  part  of  the  conspiracy,"  declared  Paul, 
*'  and  the  entire  error  will  be  destroyed  through  the 
omnipotence  of  Truth." 

"  I  tremble  for  the  fate  of  the  conspirators  when 
Sindhn  shall  learn  the  facts ! "  exclaimed  Sofia. 
"  His  anger  will  be  terrible !  " 

At  mention  of  Sindhu's  name,  Paul  suddenly  said: 

"  Moung  Gouk's  information  had  driven  all  other 
thoughts  from  my  mind,  or  I  should  have  announced 
that  a  messenger  has  arrived  announcing  the  com- 
plete destruction  of  the  Tartar  forces." 

"  This,  at  least,  is  good  news ! "  exclaimed  Elder 
Meredith,  in  an  effort  to  cheer  Mr.  Johnson.  "  As 
soon  as  the  English  troopers  return,  with  this  lad's 
guidance,  we  shall  be  able  to  rescue  the  women." 

Mr.  Johnson's  face  brightened  as  he  answered, 
"  There  is  at  least  a  ray  of  sunshine  in  that." 

"  But  with  the  good  news,"  continued  Paul  as  soon 


328        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

as  he  could  break  into  the  conversation,  "  comes  th* 
bad  news  that  Prince  Sindhu  is  seriously  wounded." 

An  exclamation  of  dismay  broke  from  all,  but  Nora, 
with  the  recollection  of  the  morning  still  fresh  in  her 
mind,  said,  "  If  he  can  be  cured  as  easily  and  quickly 
as  Mr.  Lombard,  we  need  have  no  fear." 

Sofia  turned  upon  Paul  a  questioning  look,  as 
though  to  ask,  "  Is  it  possible?  " 

"  That  rests  entirely  with  Prince  Sindhu,"  was 
Paul's  smiling,  but  emphatic,  reply. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

PROVING  THE  GOLDEN  RULE 

AFTER  obtaining  Moung  Gouk's  description  of 
the  hiding-place  of  Elizabeth  and  Mrs.  Johnson, 
several  plans  for  their  rescue  were  discussed,  but 
it  was  finally  decided  to  wait  with  what  patience  they 
were  able  until  the  return  of  the  troops.  It  was  well 
along  in  the  afternoon,  however,  before  the  confer- 
ence broke  up,  and  when  Nora  and  her  escort  again 
emerged  into  the  street  to  return  to  the  camp,  they 
found  that  the  news  of  the  battle  had  become  public, 
and  that  the  streets  were  filled  with  joyous  people 
celebrating  the  victory.  The  news  also  had  the 
effect  of  quieting  any  further  demonstration  on  the 
part  of  the  conspirators,  while  the  mutinous  company 
at  the  garrison  had  offered  to  surrender  and  turn 
over  its  arms  to  General  Weing  Hla. 

Along  about  dusk  the  first  of  the  victorious  army 
made  its  appearance  in  the  person  of  Colonel  Holli- 
day  and  his  staff,  followed  shortly  after  by  the  ambu- 
lance bearing  the  wounded  prince.  Surgeon  O'Keefe 
accompanied  him  and  superintended  his  removal  to 
his  own  apartments,  where  absolute  quiet  was  or- 
dered. A  bullet  from  a  Winchester  had  struck  the 
prince  in  the  breast,  just  under  the  shoulder  blade, 

329 


330        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

had  passed  through  the  body,  and  had  come  out  near 
the  spinal  column,  grazing  the  right  lung.  It  was 
a  serious  and  painful  wound  and  had  completely  in- 
capacitated Sindhu,  so  that  the  entire  command  of 
the  army  had  been  turned  over  to  Colonel  Holli- 
day. 

After  seeing  his  royal  patient  made  comfortable 
for  the  night,  and  stationing  at  his  bedside  a  trained 
army  nurse,  Major  O'Keefe  left  to  visit  the  field  hos- 
pital, and  care  for  the  wounded  men  who  were  now 
being  brought  in.  Almost  the  first  person  that  he 
met  as  he  came  out  into  the  rotunda  was  Mr.  Lom- 
bard. He  started  back  as  though  he  had  seen  an 
apparition,  exclaiming : 

"  Is  it  you,  Lombard,  or  your  ghost?  " 

"  It  is  not  my  ghost,  you  will  find,  if  you  will  give 
me  a  shake  of  your  hand,"  was  the  laughing  re- 
joinder. "  I  never  felt  better  in  my  life." 

"  But  your  wound,  man?  "  said  the  doctor,  taking 
the  outstretched  hand. 

"  Gives  me  not  the  slightest  trouble.  It  is  healing 
fast  and  there  is  hardly  a  trace  of  soreness." 

"  Impossible ! "  exclaimed  Surgeon  O'Keefe. 
"  Come  in  here  and  let  me  look  at  it !  " 

He  took  Mr.  Lombard  by  the  arm,  and  led  him 
into  his  room,  where  he  insisted  upon  making  an 
examination. 

"  Sure,  it's  a  miracle,"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  lifted 
the  soft  linen  with  which  the  wound  was  covered.  "  A 
miracle!  But  if  an  abscess  don't  form,  it'll  be  a  still 
greater  miracle.  See  that  you  keep  quiet  and  don't 
get  heated.  Faith,  I'll  have  to  write  an  article  to 


PROVING    THE    GOLDEN    RULE       331 

the  Lancet  on  the  wonderful  properties  of  that  new 
antiseptic." 

"  I  would ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Lombard,  with  a 
chuckle ;  "  but  if  you  want  real,  authentic  informa- 
tion about  it,  come  in  when  you  are  not  busy  and 
I  will  read  it  to  you  from  the  book  of  Jeremiah;  I 
do  not  suppose  that  you  have  a  Bible  of  your  own." 

Major  O'Keefe  looked  at  him  in  astonishment,  and 
went  out  muttering  something  about  an  ignorant, 
bigoted  Jew,  who  was  four  thousand  years  behind 
the  times. 

In  the  hall  he  encountered  Nora,  who  had  come 
over  from  the  camp  to  meet  him.  She  threw  herself 
into  his  arms  and  burst  into  tears. 

"Well!  Well!"  he  gasped.  "Upon  my  soul, 
this  is  something  new !  What's  the  matter,  Acushla  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Father,"  she  sobbed,  "  I'm  a  wicked  girl  and 
they've  stolen  Elizabeth !  " 

The  major  held  her  off  and  looked  at  her.  "  You're 
a  wicked  girl,  and  they've  stolen  Elizabeth?  "  he  re- 
peated. "  And  what  connection  have  the  two  ?  " 

Drawing  him  down  upon  a  seat  beside  her  she  told 
him  all  the  story,  concealing  only  the  reason  of  her 
anger,  which  she  referred  to  as  a  quarrel  with  Eliza- 
beth. She  narrated  also  the  account  01  the  trouble 
in  the  palace,  the  story  of  Moung  Gouk,  and  the 
removal  of  Mr.  Lombard.  He  listened  quietly  to  the 
end. 

"  Faith,  and  you've  had  a  busy  day !  "  he  said. 
"  But,  Nora,  child,  I  blame  you  for  none  of  the 
trouble,  —  unless  it  happens  that  Mr.  Lombard  get* 
worse." 


332        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  I  feel  sure  he  will  not,  Father.  Somehow,  to-day, 
I  have  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  new  power,  —  the  power 
of  Spirit.  The  few  words  which  Mr.  Anthony  said 
about  my  deceiving  myself,  and  that  God  sends  no 
unhappiness,  has  awakened  something  in  me  that  I 
never  knew  I  had." 

The  major  wiped  a  tear  from  his  eye  with  the 
back  of  his  hand. 

"  Nonsense,  girl.  You're  just  a  bit  sorry  for 
Elizabeth,  and  the  wicked  thought  you  had  about 
her;  and  it's  right  you  should  be.  Your  mother, 
rest  her  soul,  would  have  taught  you  that.  As  for 
the  thought  of  God,  I  like  that  kind  of  a  religion  my- 
self;  but  when  it  comes  to  healing  up  holes  in  men's 
chests  overnight,  that  ain't  reasonable." 

"  I  didn't  say  that  He  did,  Father.  I  have  only 
told  you  what  Mr.  Lombard  and  Mr.  Anthony  be- 
lieve. Sure,"  she  said  meditatively,  "  I'd  like  to  know 
more  about  that  kind  of  a  God." 

Major  O'Keefe  arose  abruptly.  "  I  must  be  go- 
ing to  the  hospital,"  he  said.  "  You'd  better  stay 
here  to-night.  There'll  be  plenty  doing  to-morrow» 
and  we'll  probably  need  your  assistance. 

He  kissed  her  good  night.  "  Don't  forget  to  say 
your  prayers,  Nora,  and  get  all  the  religion  you 
can ;  but  don't  ever  think  there's  a  God  that's  going 
to  heal  bullet-holes  and  saber-cuts  without  the  aid 
of  a  surgeon." 

He  buttoned  up  his  greatcoat  and  disappeared 
down  the  hall. 

The  prophecy  that  there  would  be  plenty  to  do  on 
the  morrow  proved  a  true  one.  With  the  return  of 


PROVING    THE    GOLDEN    RULE       333 

ITie  troops  with  the  wounded  and  prisoners,  Colonel 
Holliday  found  every  minute  of  his  time  occupied; 
but  he  took  the  earliest  moment  to  call  together  those 
who  were  especially  interested  in  the  rescue  of  Eliza- 
beth and  Mrs.  Johnson,  to  decide  upon  the  wisest 
course  to  pursue. 

It  was  very  evident  that  the  rescue  would  be  at- 
tended with  great  danger,  not  only  to  those  seeking 
to  accomplish  it,  but  to  the  women.  The  men  who 
held  them  captive  were  a  desperate  lot,  and,  if  cor- 
nered, might  sacrifice  their  prisoners  to  protect  them- 
selves, or  even  wreak  summary  vengeance  upon  them. 
Therefore  it  was  necessary  to  proceed  with  the  great- 
est caution. 

In  spite  of  the  attempt  to  keep  the  ill  news  from 
Prince  Sindhu,  he  had  in  some  manner  got  wind  of 
the  affair,  and  nothing  would  do  but  he  must  hear 
the  whole  story.  He  not  only  insisted  upon  hearing 
it  from  Sofia,  but  demanded  that  Paul  and  Nora 
should  also  come  and  see  him.  There  was  little  that 
Paul  could  tell  regarding  the  abduction,  but  he  de- 
tailed all  the  events  which  had  transpired  at  the 
palace  during  the  past  twenty-four  hours.  Sindhu 
listened  attentively.  Only  once  did  he  interrupt.  It 
was  when  Paul  was  telling  of  the  scene  in  Sofia's 
apartment. 

"  You  are  certainly  placing  our  family  under  an 
eternal  debt  of  gratitude !  "  he  exclaimed.  '"'  There 
was  no  reason  why  you  should  have  risked  your  life 
for  my  sister,  and  yet  I  see  that  you  did." 

"  The  princess  is  my  friend.     I  do  not  know  that 


334        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

I  have  a  dearer  on  earth.  I  feel  quite  sure  I  did 
no  more  for  her  than  she  would  do  for  me." 

Paul  looked  at  Sofia  with  a  tender  smile  that  might 
have  won  any  woman's  heart.  There  was  an  answer- 
ing smile  on  her  part.  Sindhu  realized  that  while 
there  must  be  a  perfect  understanding  between  them, 
it  was  free  from  any  passion  or  sentiment,  and  he 
turned  his  eyes  to  Sofia  with  a  wondering  gaze. 

"  I  have  learned  the  meaning  of  the  word  friend, 
brother,  and  this  beautiful  quotation  from  the  words 
of  the  great  teacher,  Jesus :  *  Greater  love  hath  no 
man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his 
friends.'  " 

"  And  he  has  no  thought  of  reward,"  was  Sindhu's 
mental  comment,  as  he  closed  his  eyes ;  "  but  what 
is  this  change  that  is  coming  over  my  sister?  " 

Paul  had  just  completed  his  story  when  Nora  ar- 
rived, accompanied  by  her  father.  It  seemed  to  her 
that  her  heart  must  burst  its  bounds,  as  she  entered 
the  room  and  was  for  the  first  time  in  the  presence 
of  the  man  whose  image  had  filled  her  mind  for  days. 
But  the  thought  of  what  her  folly  had  already  led  her 
to  was  with  her,  and  she  told  briefly  and  concisely 
what  had  happened.  This,  with  Moung  Gouk's  story, 
made  the  history  of  events  complete. 

That  the  narrative  had  greatly  excited  Sindhu 
was  apparent  from  the  flush  on  his  face  and  the  ex- 
clamation of  impatience  which  escaped  him  at  its 
close. 

"  And  I  must  lie  here  like  a  bedridden  monk,"  he 
exclaimed,  "  while  some  one  else  has  the  privilege  of 
rescuing  the  woman  I  love." 


PROVING    THE    GOLDEN    RULE       33d 

It  was  an  exclamation  which  betrayed  his  inner- 
most thought,  and  which  would  never  have  escaped 
him  had  he  not  been  in  his  present  enfeebled  condi- 
tion. It  was  like  the  thrust  of  a  dagger  to  Nora, 
who  understood  at  that  moment  that  her  dreams 
could  never  be  realized.  With  a  wonderful  effort  she 
determined  then  and  there,  cost  her  what  it  might, 
that  she  would  put  this  madness  out  of  her  mind  and 
strive  to  make  amends  for  the  evil  which  she  had 
thought  and  done.  It  was  this  that  led  her  to  say: 

"  If  you  could  only  have  the  same  help  as  Mr. 
Lombard,  you  might  be  up  soon." 

Sindhu  looked  at  her  inquiringly.     Sofia  explained : 

"  Through  the  help  of  Mr.  Anthony,  Mr.  Lom- 
bard has  made  a  wonderful  recovery.  He  returned  to 
the  palace  from  the  hospital  yesterday  and  appears 
quite  well." 

Sindhu  turned  his  eyes  to  Paul,  as  though  he  would 
speak,  but  was  interrupted  by  Major  O'Keefe,  who 
exclaimed  with  a  snort : 

"  We'll  have  no  more  such  foolishness !  Taking 
sick  people  out  of  their  beds  at  the  risk  of  their 
lives !  "  Then  to  Prince  Sindhu  he  said :  "  Sure, 
you're  having  the  same  treatment  as  Mr.  Lombard,  — 
the  same  antiseptic  dressing,  —  and,  if  you're  phys- 
ically in  as  good  condition  as  he,  you'll  be  all  right, 
—  unless,"  he  declared  with  a  glaring  look  at  Paul, 
"  your  fool  friends  drive  you  into  a  fever  of  excite- 
ment that  kills  you." 

His  words  and  manner  made  no  impression  upon 
Paul,  who  smiled  broadly  as  he  asked :  "  If  exciting 


336        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

thoughts  can  kill  him,  why  may  not  another  kind  of 
thoughts  cure  him  ?  " 

"  Because  it  don't  work  that  way ;  and  I'll  not 
have  my  patient  disturbed  in  this  manner.  I  insist 
upon  absolute  quiet  if  I  am  to  remain  in  charge  of 
the  case." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Paul  calmly ;  "  no  one  wishes 
to  dispute  your  authority  in  the  treatment  —  " 

"  Unless  it  is  Sindhu  himself !  "  exclaimed  Sofia. 

She  stepped  to  her  brother's  bedside  and  laid  her 
hand  soothingly  upon  his  forehead.  "  Would  you 
like  the  help  Mr.  Anthony  can  give  you,  Sindhu, 
or  are  you  satisfied?  " 

"  Why  cannot  I  have  both  ?  "  asked  the  wounded 
man. 

"  Impossible !  ~  said  Paul.  "  *  Thou  shalt  have 
no  other  gods  before  me  '  is  the  first  commandment, 
and  Jesus  said,  *  ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon,' 
—  spirit  and  matter." 

"  I'll  have  nobody  interfering  with  my  case ! "  al- 
most shouted  Major  O'Keefe.  "  If  you  want  one  of 
your  native  doctors,  who  don't  know  anything,  get 
him  and  I'll  quit.  Sure,  that  would  be  foolish 
enough!  But  to  give  you  over  to  one  of  these  pray- 
ing fanatics,  —  I  won't  do  it!  And  I  won't  have 
him  interfering,  either !  " 

Sofia  looked  at  the  surgeon  in  surprise,  while  Nora 
said  under  her  breath :  "  Don't  get  excited,  Father. 
It'll  make  the  prince  worse." 

The  major  drew  out  his  handkerchief  and  wiped  his 
face,  but  said  nothing. 

".Remember  the  lame  boy  and  our  father,"  said 


PROVING   THE    GOLDEN    RULE       337 

Sofia  quietly  to  Sindhu ;  "  and  Mr.  Lombard  is  quite 
well." 

"It  would  be  suicide!"  exclaimed  the  major,  un- 
able to  contain  his  feelings  any  longer.  "  You're 
likely  to  die  if  you  don't  have  the  very  best  care." 

"  I  think  that  I  will  stick  to  the  surgeon,"  said 
Sindhu,  taking  Sofia's  hand  in  his.  "  But  I  do  not 
want  to  offend  Mr.  Anthony." 

Major  O'Keefe  got  red  in  the  face,  but  Nora  laid 
her  hand  on  his  arm. 

"  There  can  be  no  offense,"  said  Paul  gently.  "  I 
am  only  sorry  you  are  to  be  confined  to  your  bed 
so  long,  Prince  Sindhu.  I  can  assure  you,  everything 
possible  will  be  done  to  rescue  Miss  Raymond  and 
her  companion.  I  am  going  now  to  consult  with 
Colonel  Holliday.  Any  time  you  need  me,  I  am  at 
your  service." 

As  Paul  passed  out,  Major  O'Keefe  crossed  over 
to  the  bedside,  while  Nora  followed  Paul  to  the  door. 

*'  I  want  to  thank  you,  Mr.  Anthony,"  she  said, 
'*  for  your  kind  words  to  me  yesterday.  They  have 
helped  me  out  of  a  deep  pit.  And  you  mustn't  mind 
father." 

There  was  a  twinkle  in  Paul's  eye,  as  he  replied: 
"  I  do  not.  In  his  place  and  in  his  condition  of 
thought,  I  should  do  exactly  as  he  does  —  the  very 
best  I  knew  how." 

To  Sofia,  Major  O'Keefe  was  saying:  "That 
young  man  may  mean  all  right,  but  he's  wrong  here," 
and  the  major  tapped  his  forehead.  "  Prayers  are 
a  good  thing  for  wounds  in  peoples'  consciences,  but 
useless  for  wounds  in  their  bodies." 


838        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Paul  found  Elder  Meredith  and  Mr.  Johnson  at 
headquarters  when  he  arrived.  Both  were  excited 
and  impatient  to  be  doing  something. 

"  Pardon  my  tardiness,"  was  Paul's  greeting,  "  but 
Prince  Sindhu  insisted  upon  knowing  the  details  of 
yesterday's  disturbance.  He  has  expressed  a  desire 
that  the  rescue  of  the  ladies  be  undertaken  with  the 
utmost  dispatch,  but  likewise  with  the  greatest  cau- 
tion." 

When  Colonel  Holliday  asked  for  any  suggestions, 
Mr.  Johnson  was  so  broken  down  with  his  grief  and 
with  his  hours  of  suspense  that  he  was  incapable  of 
saying  anything,  other  than  to  urge  the  greatest 
haste.  Elder  Meredith  suggested  that  the  best  plan, 
inasmuch  as  they  had  a  guide  to  conduct  them  di- 
rectly to  the  hiding-place,  was  to  surprise  the  bandits 
and  overpower  them  before  they  could  offer  any  re- 
sistance, or  do  any  injury  to  their  captives. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  the  plan,  Colonel  Holli- 
day ?  "  he  asked. 

"  It  coincides  largely  •«  ith  my  own,  Elder ;  but 
I  feel  that  the  safety  of  the  ladies  is  of  the  first  im- 
portance, and  that  we  should  proceed  with  the  great- 
est caution.  How  does  it  appear  to  you,  Mr.  An- 
thony?" 

"  Excellent,  if  it  can  be  successfully  accomplished. 
It  occurs  to  me,  however,"  continued  Paul,  "  that  it 
will  be  almost  impossible  Id  take  the  bandits  so  en- 
tirely off  their  guard  th/it  they  will  be  unable  to 
wreak  their  anger  upon  their  captives.  The  city 
is  full  of  spies,  and  the  very  minute  a  force  of  suf 


PROVING   THE    GOLDEN    RULE       839 

ficient  strength  to  accomplish  the  desired  result 
leaves,  the  report  will  be  carried  to  the  hills." 

"  Let  us  do  nothing,"  pleaded  Mr.  Johnson,  "  that 
will  endanger  their  lives  or  cause  them  to  be  mis- 
treated." 

"  What  would  you  suggest,  then  ?  "  asked  the  colo- 
nel. 

"  I  hardly  know,"  replied  Paul,  '*  but  I  think  that 
we  should,  first  of  all,  try  the  effect  of  the  Golden 
Rule,  not  only  upon  the  hillmen,  but  also  upon  the 
men  in  the  dungeons.  I  do  not  know  what  Prince 
Siridhu's  plan  for  dealing  with  them  may  be,  or  even 
if  he  has  a  plan ;  but  if  order  —  permanent  order  — 
is  to  be  restored  in  Annakan  any  way  soon,  we  must 
remove  the  cause  of  the  trouble.  The  cause  of  the 
trouble  is  the  enmity  of  these  men  to  foreigners.  We 
ought  to  be  able  to  destroy  that." 

Both  the  clergymen  became  thoughtful.  They 
could  see  that  the  advice  was  in  accord  with  Scrip- 
tural injunctions,  but  it  seemed  impractical.  To 
Colonel  Holliday  it  seemed  worse  than  folly,  and  he 
exclaimed : 

"  This  is  no  time  for  sentiment,  gentlemen !  A 
famous  American  general,  in  speaking  of  your  wild 
tribes,  once  said  that  the  only  good  Indian  was  a 
dead  Indian.  The  same  applies  to  the  Oriental  In- 
dian. Your  golden  rule  will  not  work,  Mr.  Anthony. 
My  plan  is  this:  Take  the  boy  who  is  to  be  your 
guide  out  of  the  city  this  afternoon  in  an  ambulance. 
Either  you  or  Mr.  Johnson  can  go  with  him.  The 
ambulances  are  going  back  and  forth  all  the  time, 
and  will  attract  no  attention.  During  the  afternoon 


»40         PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

one  of  them  can  even  take  you  as  far  as  the  foot- 
hills. I  will  detail  a  squad  of  a  dozen  mounted  men 
for  the  expedition.  They  can  leave  in  an  opposite 
direction,  but  will  meet  you  at  a  given  spot  after 
dark.  The  boy  can  then  guide  you  to  the  place,  after 
which  you  will  have  to  depend  upon  yourself  and 
the  quick  work  of  the  troopers  for  the  rest." 

"  Do  you  not  think  it  would  be  possible  to  ransom 
them?  "  asked  Mr.  Johnson. 

"  Ordinarily  I  should  say  yes,"  said  Colonel  Hol- 
liday,  "  but  this  seems  to  be  sort  of  a  personal  affair 
of  this  young  nobleman.  He  'has  evidently  deter- 
mined to  rid  himself  and  the  state  of  Mr.  Anthony 
and  Miss  Raymond,  and  seems  to  have  powerful  back- 
ing. I  see  no  reason  for  the  abduction  of  your  wife, 
except  that  the  price  of  the  two  women,  if  sold  into 
slavery  across  the  border,  will  bring  their  abductors 
a  big  price  for  their  work." 

Mr.  Johnson  covered  his  face  with  his  hands. 
"  This  is  terrible !  Terrible !  Mr.  Anthony,  you 
must  let  me  go  with  the  expedition.  I  cannot  stay 
here !  " 

"  It  would  be  impossible  to  refuse  your  request," 
replied  Paul,  kindly.  "  In  the  meantime,  Colonel,  I 
am  sure  it  would  do  no  harm  for  me  to  visit  the 
prisoners  in  the  palace  and  try  the  Golden  Rule.  I 
feel  that  I  should  be  able  to  prove  its  efficacy.  Let 
us  know  that  there  is  but  one  Mind,  and  that  Mind 
is  God,  good." 

Colonel  Holliday  regarded  Paul  earnestly  as  he 
was  speaking.  After  an  impressive  silence,  he  said, 
slowly :  "  I  have  often  heard  the  term  *  practical 


PROVING    THE    GOLDEN    RULE       341 

religion  '  made  use  of  by  those  whose  idea  seemed 
to  be  the  living  of  more  upright  daily  lives,  and  in 
practising  on  Monday  what  they  had  heard  preached 
on  Sunday;  but  I  have  never  before  heard  it  even 
suggested  that  any  religion  was  practical  enough 
to  overthrow  a  conspiracy  like  this,  or  to  free  a 
couple  of  women  from  a  band  of  cutthroats.  Did 
you,  Elder?" 

"  Never ! "  was  the  response ;  "  and  I  have  also 
discovered  that  God  only  helps  those  who  help  them- 
selves." 

"  Amen !  "  said  Rev.  Johnson. 

Paul  smiled  broadly  in  spite  of  himself  as  he  asked : 
"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  conspiracy  against  Daniel, 
Elder?  You  are  quite  right  in  thinking  that  God 
helps  only  those  who  help  themselves,  but  we  must 
not  forget  that  there  are  various  ways  of  helping 
oneself.  Did  it  ever  occur  to  any  of  you.  gen- 
tlemen, what  the  apostles  did  in  order  to  secure 
the  help  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord  in  escaping  from 
prison?  What  they  did  to  help  themselves?  In  a 
situation,  such  as  now  confronts  us,  it  might  be  well 
to  stop  and  search  the  Scriptures.  For  instance, 
listen  to  this :  *  He  hath  sent  me  to  proclaim  liberty 
to  the  captive,'  —  those  who  are  held  captive  by  er- 
ror, and  a  conspiracy  is  an  error.  '  He  delivereth 
me  from  mine  enemies.'  *  I,  even  I,  am  the  Lord ; 
and  beside  me  there  is  no  saviour.'  If  God  could 
open  the  prison  doors  for  his  apostles  two  thousand 
years  ago,  He  can  do  it,  and  will  do  it  now ;  for  He 
is  as  omnipotent  and  omnipresent  to-day  as  then, 
and  it  is  only  in  God  *  that  we  live  and  move  and 


842        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

have  our  being,'  and  I  am  going  to  try  and  prove 
that  *  God  is  a  refuge  for  us  '  now,  that  He  is,  as 
He  always  has  been,  *  a  strong  help  when  great 
troubles  come.' ' 

His  auditors  listened  to  him  in  silent  surprise.  As 
he  finished  speaking,  he  arose  and  hastily  left  the 
conference,  saying :  "  Colonel,  I  shall  in  no  wise 
interfere  with  your  plans." 

"  Would  you  consider  Mr.  Anthony's  religion  a 
practical  one?  "  inquired  the  colonel,  as  Paul  left. 

"  Practical !  "  exclaimed  Elder  Meredith.  "  It  is 
absolutely  impractical !  It  is  not  even  religion !  " 

Rev.  Johnson  said  nothing,  but  in  his  dire  sorrow 
and  distress  his  great  desire  went  out  in  prayer  that 
he  might  find  that  the  "  Lord's  hand  is  not  shortened, 
that  it  cannot  save;  neither  his  ear  heavy,  that  it 
cannot  hear." 

After  leaving  the  conference,  Paul  went  immedi- 
ately to  Captain  Shway.  "  I  want  to  see  the  leader 
of  the  conspirators  at  once,"  he  said,  "  and  I  want 
to  see  him  alone." 

The  captain  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  "  Do  you 
mean  Moung  Than  ?  " 

"  No,  the  one  whom  you  were  about  to  kill  yester- 
day." 

"  Not  Moung  Kai  Yang !  "  exclaimed  the  captain. 
"  He  is  the  most  vicious  of  the  lot,  and  the  most  bit- 
ter against  foreigners.  You  will  get  nothing  out  of 
him;  better  try  Boh  Galay." 

"  No.  I  prefer  the  other.  Bring  him  to  my 
apartment  in  fifteen  minutes," 


FKOVING    THE    GOLDEN    RULE       343 

"  Whenever  you  desire,  Sahib.  I  simply  give  you 
my  opinion." 

Paul  went  to  his  room  and  closed  the  door.  He 
knew  that  of  all  claims  of  error,  sin  is  the  hardest 
to  heal;  and  of  all  sins,  anger  is  among  the  worst. 
Men  desire  to  be  freed  from  sickness,  but  they  cling 
to  their  sins  with  a  tenacity  past  understanding. 
Closing  his  door,  Paul  prayed  fervently  for  wisdom 
and  understanding  that  he  might  understand  that 
there  is  but  one  Mind;  that  love  is  the  reflection  of 
God;  and  that,  apprehending  this,  he  might  realize 
for  the  prisoner  who  was  being  brought  before  him 
only  the  spiritually  perfect  man  in  God's  image: 
that  he  might  recognize  as  error  the  sin  and  hatred 
which  seemed  so  real,  but  which,  from  a  divinely 
scientific  standpoint,  he  knew  to  be  unreal.  As  he 
communed  thus  silently  with  God,  there  came  to  him 
a  sense  of  that  perfect  love  which  destroys  everything 
unlike  itself,  and  he  was  assured  of  the  answer  to  his 
prayer. 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  Paul  arose 
to  admit  Captain  Shway  and  his  prisoner.  On 
Moung  Kai  Yang's  face  was  a  surly,  vengeful  ex- 
pression, but  it  gave  way  to  startled  surprise,  as 
Paul  said :  "  You  may  leave  us,  captain.  Moung 
Kai  Yang  and  I  have  a  private  matter  to  talk 
over." 

Then  to  his  visitor,  as  the  captain  left :  "  Will 
you  not  be  seated  ?  " 

As  Moung  Kai  Yang  sank  into  his  seat,  the  ex- 
pression on  his  face  again  changed  to  one  of  friendly 
curiosity,  and  he  exclaimed :  "  You  are  he  who  saved 
my  life  yesterday." 


344        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Paul  smiled  grimly  as  he  replied :  "  I  think  per- 
haps I  did.  The  captain  was  very  hasty." 

"  Yes,  he  was,"  said  Moung  Kai  Yang,  as  he 
regarded  Paul  curiously ;  "  and  it  was  well  for  you 
that  he  was,  for  I  should  certainly  not  have  been  as 
magnanimous  as  you." 

"  But  really,"  said  the  young  nobleman  with  a 
complete  change  of  manner,  "  I  am  very  sorry  about 
this  whole  affair.  I  see  that  there  has  been  a  ter- 
rible mistake,  and  that  we  have  simply  been  serving 
as  tools  to  bring  about  some  of  Moung  Than's 
schemes.  I  should  like  to  explain  this  to  the  Prince 
and  his  sister.  I  know  that  the  others  have  similar 
opinions,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  do  all  in  my  power 
to  right  the  wrong  which  has  been  done." 

An  exclamation  of  thankfulness  came  to  Paul's 
Jips  as  the  expression  of  his  heart,  and  with  a  frank 
and  kindly  earnestness  he  said,  "  I  shall  be  very  glad 
to  help  you.  It  should  be  an  easy  task,  for  a  fault 
acknowledged  is  one-half  rectified." 

"  And  how  shall  we  rectify  the  other  half?  "  asked 
Moung  Kai  Yang,  with  a  smile. 

"  First,  by  aiding  in  the  rescue  of  the  two  ladies 
who  have  been  abducted.  This  will  put  Prince 
Sindhu  in  a  frame  of  mind  to  consider  the  next 
step." 

"  If  we  can  locate  the  abductors,  this  will  be  a 
comparatively  easy  step." 

"  That  is  already  known." 

"  And  you  will  trust  me  to  negotiate  their  recov- 
ery?" asked  Moung  Kai  Yang,  hesitatingly. 

"  Unquestionably,"    replied   Paul ;     "  there   is   my 


PROVING    THE    GOLDEN    RULE       345 

hand  on  it.  I  only  ask  the  pleasure  of  participating 
in  the  affair." 

"  Then  we  will  go  together." 

"  What  is  needed  for  the  expedition,  and  when 
can  we  start?  "  asked  Paul. 

"  We  can  start  at  once.  All  that  is  needed  is  an 
escort  of  two,  and  horses  for  the  ladies." 

Paul  stepped  to  the  door.  "  Captain  Shway,  will 
you  order  horses  for  four,  and  a  mounted  escort  of 
two.  Moung  Kai  Yang  and  I  are  going  to  bring 
the  ladies  home." 

"  Impossible !  "    exclaimed  the  captain. 

"  No,  it  is  a  fact !  " 

"  Then  I  shall  be  one  of  the  escort." 

"  As  you  please,  Captain.  But  let  us  start  at 
once." 


CHAPTER    XXII 

MEDICINE,    THEOLOGY    AND    RELIGION 

WHEN  Major  O'Keefe  and  Nora  left  Prince 
Sindhu  they  mounted  their  horses  and  rode  immedi- 
ately to  the  field  hospital,  where  they  spent  a  busy 
morning  among  the  wounded  men.  On  the  way  over 
they  encountered  Captain  Ormonde,  who  inquired 
anxiously  about  Prince  Sindhu,  and  also  his  sister. 

"  I  haven't  seen  you  making  any  desperate  love  to 
the  princess  since  you've  been  up  here,"  said  the 
major  with  a  laugh.  "  What's  the  matter?  " 

"  The  American !  "  was  the  laconic  reply. 

"  Sure,  I  can't  see  why  he's  such  a  favorite  at 
court,"  growled  the  major,  remembering  his  recent 
experience.  "  He's  worse  than  the  missionaries.  He 
not  only  wants  to  save  the  souls  of  all  Burma,  but  the 
bodies  as  well !  " 

Ormonde  looked  at  the  major  in  surprise.  "  By 
Jove!  I  thought  he  was  a  devilish  good  sort  of  a 
chap,  don't  you  know ! " 

"  Faith,  he  may  be  all  right  in  his  place,  if  you 
know  where  that  is,  but  this  talk  about  God  healing 
bullet  wounds  and  sabre  cuts  is  nonsense.  Bedad,  he'll 
Hot  bother  me  any  more.  He  knows  my  opinions !  " 

**  He  must  be  a  mighty  smart  man,  Major,  for  he 


MEDICINE    AND    RELIGION  347 

i*  the  only  one  that  ever  I  knew  to  get  an  opinion 
out  of  you.  Haw !  Haw !  " 

The  major  seemed  about  to  make  some  forcible  re- 
mark, but  Nora  changed  the  subject  of  conversation 
by  saying,  "  Isn't  it  terrible  about  Elizabeth !  " 

"  I  was  just  going  to  say  so  myself,"  said  Or- 
monde. "  Any  news  ?  " 

"  None !  "  replied  the  major.  "  There's  another  one, 
Captain,  with  whom  you  didn't  make  much  headway." 

"  No !  The  church  is  not  in  my  line.  By  Jove,  I 
think  I  will  stick  to  the  army,"  and  he  cast  an  admir- 
ing glance  at  Nora. 

"  Bedad,  that's  the  wisest.  Every  man  to  his  pro- 
fession. That's  what  I'll  tell  this  same  Mr.  Anthony 
the  next  time  he  runs  against  me.  Let  him  stick  to 
his  prayers  and  I'll  stick  to  my  plasters." 

"  Haw !  Haw !  "  laughed  Ormonde.  "  You  mean 
your  plasters  will  stick  to  you,  don't  you  know.  By 
Jove,  that  is  clever !  "  He  put  spurs  to  his  horse  and 
galloped  away. 

"  Ormonde  isn't  such  a  fool  as  he  tries  to  make 
people  think  he  is,"  was  the  major's  comment  as  the 
captain  passed  out  of  hearing. 

"  Sure,  he's  got  a  lot  of  sense,"  ejaculated  Nora, 
"  but  what  he  needs  is  a  guardian  to  keep  him  from 
falling  in  love  with  every  girl  he  sees." 

"  Or  a  wife,"  declared  her  father,  as  they  alighted 
at  the  hospital. 

Nora  was  a  favorite  with  the  men  of  the  ninety- 
second,  and  her  presence  in  the  hospital  was  like  the 
scent  of  the  shamrock  to  the  wounded  men.  While  her 
father  was  busy  dressing  the  wounds  and  binding  up 


348        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

the  bodily  hurts,  she  was  flitting  from  cot  to  cot 
speaking  a  pleasant  word  or  doing  some  little  act  of 
kindness.  As  they  rode  away  after  the  morning's 
work  was  done,  one  observing  Tommy  Atkins  re- 
marked : 

"  He's  a  bloomin'  good  doctor,  he  is,  but  blime 
if  I  don't  think  she  does  'em  a  heap  more  good  nor 
him." 

On  their  way  back  to  the  city  they  met  Elder  Mere- 
dith. He  had  been  out  for  his  morning  ride,  and 
on  his  way  in  had  encountered  Paul  and  his  escort 
on  their  way  to  bring  in  the  women.  He  imparted 
the  news  to  Nora  and  the  major. 

"  I  was  anxious  to  accompany  them,  when  I  learned 
where  they  were  going,"  explained  the  clergyman, 
"  but  Mr.  Anthony  would  not  permit  it.  He  seems 
to  want  to  take  all  the  credit  for  doing  whatever  is 
done  —  " 

"  Even  to  curing  people  of  bullet  wounds,"  finished 
the  major. 

"  Yes,  and  all  other  diseases,"  continued  the  elder. 

"  It's  preposterous !  "   snorted  the  major. 

"  Not  so  preposterous  as  his  claim  that  sin  is  un- 
real," rejoined  Elder  Meredith.  "  We  have  Scrip- 
tural authority  for  healing  sickness  with  prayer,  and 
I  can  see  that  much  of  the  sickness  is  unreal  any  —  " 

"  Sickness  unreal ! "  interrupted  the  surgeon. 
"  Sickness  unrea.1!  Why,  man,  what  are  you  talking 
about?  " 

"  Well,  is  it  not  so  ?  Look  at  the  so-called  nervous 
diseases  —  " 


MEDICINE    AND    RELIGION  349 

'*  So-called  nervous  diseases !  Bedad,  they're  as  real 
as  any ! " 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  would  go  quite  as  far  as 
thai,  Major,  although  I  know  that  many  diseases  are 
the  result  of  imagination." 

'*  Sure,  ye  misunderstood  my  meaning,  Elder. 
There  are  none  of  them  unreal.  I  meant  that  nervous 
diseases  were  just  as  real  as  any  disease,  and  they're 
all  real  enough,  if  you  ever  had  one  of  them.  They're 
a  ^ood  deal  more  real  than  most  of  the  sin  that's 
Berrying  you  so  much." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  demanded  the  elder  tartly. 

"  Bedad,  a  whole  lot  of  things  that  you  call  sin 
look  all  right  to  me.  It  just  depends  upon  the  point 
of  view." 

"Well,  yes,  Major,  I  will  admit  that  some  things 
which  might  seem  wrong  for  one  person  to  do,  would 
be  perfectly  proper  for  another.  Thus  some  things 
which  might  be  a  sin  for  one  man,  would  not  be  a  sin 
for  another.  Each  man  must  be  largely  governed  by 
his  own  conscience." 

"  I  can't  see  it  that  way,  Elder,"  broke  in  Nora. 

"  No  ?    What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  As  I  look  at  life,  a  thing  is  either  right  or  wrong, 
no  matter  who  does  it,  or  how  you  look  at  it.  Cer- 
tainly there  must  be  some  standard  other  than  any 
one  man's  opinion." 

"Tut,  tut,  Nora!"  exclaimed  the  major. 
'*  You're  far  too  young  to  be  discussing  learned  sub- 
jects with  the  elder." 

"  Miss  Nora  is  right  to  a  certain  extent,"  said 
Elder  Meredith,  with  a  patronizing  air.  "  Some 


350        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

things  are  always  wrong.  This  worshipping  of  the 
images  of  Buddha,  for  instance." 

"  There's  no  doubt  of  that,"  said  the  major,  "  any 
more  than  the  worshipping  of  money  is  a  sin." 

"True,  Major!  True!  Or  the  worshipping  of 
whiskey  and  morphine!  I  think  that  you  doctors 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourselves,  prescribing  these 
dreadful  drugs  as  you  do,  when  you  know  the  misery 
they  cause.  Nine-tenths  of  the  morphine  fiends  get 
their  start  from  taking  morphine  prescribed  by  phy- 
sicians." 

"  Tut,  tut,  Elder !  Now  you're  getting  on  danger- 
ous grounds,"  ejaculated  the  major  testily.  "  I'll 
admit  that  some  doctors  are  too  ready  with  the  needle, 
but  in  extreme  cases,  morphine  is  surely  a  gift  from 
the  Almighty." 

"  From  the  devil,  you  mean  !  "   said  Meredith. 

"As  for  whiskey,"  continued  the  major,  ignoring 
the  clergyman's  remark,  "  sure,  if  properly  used  a 
little  spirits  is  an  excellent  thing  —  and  it's  pleasant 
to  take.  Bedad,  if  you'll  stop  and  take  luncheon  with 
me,  I'll  give  you  a  sup  that'll  warm  the  cockles  of 
your  heart." 

Elder  Meredith  was  forced  to  smile,  but  replied 
gravely :  "  I  should  not  think  of  touching  spirits, 
except  as  an  urgent  remedy,  but  I  shall  be  pleased  to 
take  a  bite  of  dinner  with  you.  A  little  English  cook- 
ing in  this  heathen  land  will  be  a  most  pleasant 
change." 

They  alighted  at  the  major's  quarters,  where  they 
found  luncheon  ready  and  were  soon  deep  in  the  dis« 
cussion  of  a  very  palatable  repast. 


MEDICINE    AND    RELIGION  351 

'*  You'll  try  just  a  drop  of  this  port,"  said  the 
major  as  he  poured  himself  out  a  liberal  portion. 

*'  Well,  just  a  small  glass,  Major."  Then  to  Nora, 
"  Even  this,  I  sometimes  feel,  is  not  quite  allowable." 

"  I  don't  think  there  is  any  harm  in  a  glass  of 
wine,"  said  Nora,  "  but  if  I  did  I  would  not  take  it. 
However,  as  you  said,  what  might  not  be  a  sin  for 
me,  might  be  for  you.  But,  sure,  I'm  not  judging 
you." 

Elder  Meredith  made  no  reply,  but  addressed  his 
next  remark  to  the  major: 

"  While  you  are  not  particularly  interested  in 
theology,  Major,  I  have  felt  for  some  time  that  I 
wanted  to  speak  to  you  about  this  man  Anthony. 
Your  wife  was  formerly  much  interested  in  mission 
work,  and  I  feel  that  you  must  be  also,  to  a  certain 
extent." 

*'  Certainly  I  am,  Elder,  and  in  the  missionaries,  — 
especially  Miss  Raymond." 

"  You  can  see  what  great  damage  it  must  be  to  the 
cause  of  Christianity  in  Burma,  to  have  a  man  with 
such  a  strong  personality  as  Anthony  practising  hyp- 
notism and  pretending  that  it  is  in  accord  with  the 
teachings  of  Christ,  —  even  going  so  far  as  to  call 
it  Christian  science.  I  am  not  deeply  versed  in  meta- 
physics or  psychology,  and  there  may  be  a  scientific 
explanation  to  hypnotism,  but  certainly  it  is  not 
Christian." 

*'  Sure  it's  more  Christian  than  scientific.  If  you 
can  cure  a  man  of  a  headache  by  hypnotism,  why 
isn't  it  just  as  Christian  as  to  give  him  a  dose  of 
bromide?  But  any  one  can  see  it  ain't  scientific,  first 


352        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

because  it  don't  cure  any  organic  disease  and  second 
because  nobody  can  explain  it  so  you  can  understand 
it.  I'll  admit  it's  a  good  deal  the  same  with  drugs. 
That's  why  I  use  very  few.  I  use  the  knife.  I  cut 
out  the  diseased  place  and  let  nature  do  the  rest." 

Nora  had  been  an  interested  auditor.  "  How  does 
nature  do  the  rest,  father  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Faith,  don't  ask  me.     I  just  know  it  does." 

Elder  Meredith  smiled.  He  was  quick  to  grasp 
this  opening.  "  You  would  hardly  call  that  a  scien- 
tific answer,  would  you,  Major?  " 

"  Of  course  it's  scientific.  I  know  exactly  how  to 
do  my  work,  and  nature  knows  how  to  do  hers." 

"  Does  it  always  do  it  the  same?  "   asked  Nora. 

"Sure!  What  are  you  two  driving  at?"  ex- 
claimed the  major,  a  bit  nettled.  "Are  you  trying 
to  drive  me  into  a  corner?  " 

"  Not  at  all !  Not  at  all !  "  said  Elder  Meredith. 
**  But  just  for  argument's  sake,  you  know  as  well  as 
I  that  nature  does  not  always  do  things  the  same 
way.  There  is  no  set  rule.  If  there  were,  and  you 
always  did  your  work  the  same  way,  all  your  patients 
would  recover." 

"  Oh,  no !    Conditions  are  different." 

"  Who  makes  the  conditions  ?  Is  it  not  nature  ?  " 
asked  Elder  Meredith. 

"  It  has  always  seemed  to  me,"  suggested  Nora, 
"  that  nature  was  a  blind  force  unless  we  understood 
it  was  governed  by  God  —  and  by  God  I  mean  some 
kind  of  a  Supreme  Intelligence  that  directs  the  uni- 
verse.* 

"  Quite  right,  Nora,"  said  Elder  Meredith.     «  I 


MEDICINE    AND    RELIGION  353 

think  you  are  quite  right.  What  is  your  opinion, 
Major?" 

"  Faith,  I  suppose  there  must  be  a  Supreme  Being. 
I've  always  thought  so ;  and  if  so,  He  must  have  made 
the  laws  of  nature.  Something  must  have  made 
them." 

"  Then  really  all  that  you  do,  Father,  is  to  cut  out 
the  diseased  part  and  leave  the  rest  to  God,  isn't  it?  " 

Both  the  men  looked  at  the  girl  in  amazement. 
This  was  a  point  they  had  not  thought  of. 

"  Now  I  am  not  going  to  try  to  explain  what  Mr. 
Anthony  does  any  more  than  what  nature  does," 
said  Nora,  "  but  I  saw  how  Mr.  Lombard  was  cured, 
and  I'm  sure  there  was  no  hypnotism  about  that. 
Hypnotism  doesn't  heal  bullet  wounds." 

"  I  know  you're  right  about  that,"  said  the  major. 
"  What  healed  him  was  that  new  antiseptic  dressing." 

"  You  used  the  same  on  Prince  Sindhu,  didn't  you, 
Father?  And  he  is  not  well.  In  fact,  I  could  see  to- 
day that  he  was  worse." 

"  Sure.  He's  excited  over  the  bad  news.  The 
stealing  of  the  woman  he  wants  to  marry  has  com- 
pletely upset  him,  and  if  he  don't  quit  worrying  he 
will  be  worse  yet." 

Nora  was  surprised  that  the  mention  of  Prince 
Sindhu  and  Elizabeth  seemed  to  have  lost  its  power 
to  affect  her,  as  she  replied :  "  Then  the  news  that  she 
has  been  found  ought  to  make  him  better." 

"It  will!" 

Nora  laughed  outright.  "  You  told  Mr.  Anthony 
this  morning  that  it  didn't  work  that  way." 

"  I  think,"  declared  Elder  Meredith,  "  that  An- 


354        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

thony  had  very  little  to  do  interfering  in  the 
case." 

"  Sure,  that's  what  I  told  him,  Elder.  I  won't 
have  no  one  interfering  in  my  cases,"  declared  the 
major,  pouring  himself  out  another  glass  of  port. 

"  It  wasn't  his  doing  at  all,"  declared  Nora. 
"  Princess  Sofia  asked  her  brother  if  he  wouldn't 
like  to  have  Mr.  Anthony  help  him.  Sure,  I  don't 
think  it  would  have  been  very  Christianly  for  Mr. 
Anthony  to  refuse  if  the  prince  had  said  yes." 

"  The  princess  is  daffy  over  the  man !  "  exclaimed 
the  major. 

Elder  Meredith  leaned  back  in  his  chair  for  a 
minute,  passed  his  hand  over  his  hair  and  then,  lean- 
ing forward,  said  in  a  very  confidential  manner,  "  I 
do  not  want  to  be  classed  as  a  scandal  monger,  Major, 
and  I  would  not  mention  this  matter  were  it  not  for 
the  good  of  all  concerned,  but  I  am  afraid  that  the 
motives  of  Mr.  Anthony  as  regards  the  Princess  Sofia 
are  not  exactly  what  they  should  be." 

Both  his  auditors  drew  back  in  amazement  and 
Nora  exclaimed: 

"  Elder  Meredith,  I  am  surprised !  " 

"  Now  do  not  misunderstand  me,"  continued  the 
elder.  "  I  am  sure  that  the  princess  has,  as  yet,  no 
idea  of  this,  but  I  know  the  kind  of  a  man  that  is 
usually  found  occupying  the  position  held  by  An- 
thony, and  if  the  prince  is  not  careful  there  will  be 
a  bigger  scandal  in  his  palace  than  there  was  in  that 
of  King  Thebaw  some  years  ago." 

Elder  Meredith  looked  carefully  to  see  that  the 
servant  had  withdrawn,  then,  lowering  his  voice,  said : 


MEDICINE    AND    RELIGION  365 

**  The  other  night  the  princess  went  to  Mr.  Anthony's 
room  alone,  and  stayed  there  for  an  hour.  If  he  were 
an  honest  man  he  would  not  have  allowed  it.  She  may 
see  nothing  wrong  in  it  yet,  but  he  knows  better." 

He  hastily  took  a  sip  of  port,  and  wiped  his  lips 
with  his  napkin. 

Nora  arose  from  the  table  with  flushed  cheeks  and 
flaming  eyes.  "  I  believe  your  insinuations  are  un- 
called for  and  unjust,  Elder  Meredith,  and  I  shall  not 
remain  to  hear  them." 

She  turned  and  hastily  left  the  room. 

The  men  looked  at  each  other  in  surprise.  At  last 
Elder  Meredith  asked :  "  Has  Nora,  too,  been  talking 
with  this  man?  " 

"  Yes,  I  believe  so,"  replied  the  major  in  surprise. 
"  But  why  do  you  ask?  " 

"  It  simply  bears  out  what  I  said.  He  is  a  danger- 
ous hypnotist.  For  the  good  of  all  concerned,  we 
must  destroy  his  influence  with  Prince  Sindhu  and 
rescue  these  girls  from  his  sinister  power." 

"  Do  you  really  think  it  can  be  hypnotism  ? " 
asked  the  major  thoughtfully. 

"  It  must  be.  How  else  could  he  gain  such  an  in- 
fluence? " 

"  Perhaps  he  has  the  prince  hypnotized,  too." 

"  Possibly.  I  know  he  has  gained  a  wonderful  con- 
trol over  Miss  Raymond." 

Major  O'Keefe  was  silent  for  some  minutes.  "I 
hadn't  thought  of  it  before,"  he  said,  "  but  now  you 
speak  of  it,  I  remember  seeing  them  together  at  the 
door  of  his  room  the  night  after  the  review." 

"Seeing  them?    Who?" 


356        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Why,  Anthony  and  Miss  Raymond." 

"  Impossible !  "   exclaimed  Elder  Meredith. 

"  No,  it's  true.  I  didn't  think  anything  wrong  of 
it  at  the  time,  but  your  words  have  set  me  thinking.'1 

"  Prince  Sindhu  must  be  apprised  of  this  at  once !  " 

"  Sure,  he  can't  be  worried  yet,  but  as  soon  as  he 
is  able,  in  the  course  of  a  week,  say,  we'll  tell  him.  It's 
a  good  thing  I  have  destroyed  Anthony's  influence 
there,  and  I'll  see  that  he  is  kept  out  of  the  room. 
In  the  meantime  we'll  keep  a  close  watch  so  as  to  know 
what  is  going  on." 

"  Your  suggestion  is  a  wise  one,  Major.  We  will 
spend  the  next  few  days  securing  evidence  of  the 
man's  perfidy,  and  as  soon  as  the  prince  is  able,  we 
will  have  him  exposed  and  sent  out  of  the  kingdom." 

The  men  arose  from  the  table.  As  the  clergyman 
was  leaving  the  major  exclaimed,  "  Sure,  I'm  glad  we 
happened  to  meet  ye.  I  knew  all  the  time  there  must 
be  something  wrong  about  that  man." 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

CHRISTMAS    MORNING 

DARKNESS  in  the  Himalayas,  —  the  dense  darkness 
that  comes  just  before  the  dawn  of  day.  On  all 
sides  rugged  boulders,  covered  with  a  thick  growth 
of  brush  which  almost  hides  the  skies  above  and 
makes  the  darkness  more  intense.  There  is  not 
even  the  whisper  of  the  winds  to  break  the  silence 
of  the  mountain  fastness.  Then  softly  on  the  early 
morning  air  a  clear,  sweet  voice  in  song: 

«  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee  I     Nearer  to  Thee  I 
E'en  though  it  be  a  cross  that  raiseth  me. 

Still  all  my  song  shall  be,  nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee. 
Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee !     Nearer  to  Thee  1 " 

The  voice  is  Elizabeth's,  and  it  comes  from  within 
a  small  cave  which  nature  has  hewn  into  the  side  of 
the  huge  crag  which  forms  the  impregnable  back 
of  this  wild  retreat.  It  breaks  the  spell  of  darkness 
and  evil,  which  for  hours  has  seemed  to  hold  sway, 
And  on  the  tip  of  the  highest  peak  is  seen  the  first 
ray  of  the  coming  light. 

As  the  last  note  of  the  song  dies  away,  another 
voice  from  out  the  darkness,  that  of  patient,  loving 

857 


358        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Mrs.  Johnson :  "  How  *  nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee ' 
this  cross  does  raise  us."  Then  silence,  and  then 
again :  "  But  it  is  so  dark,  and  I  am  so  tired.  Will 
the  day  never  come !  " 

"  Patience,  dear  heart !  "  comes  the  voice  of  Eliza- 
beth. "  It  is  coming.  It  is  here.  If  we  can  only 
realize  the  true  meaning  of  our  beautiful  hymn,  we 
shall  always  see  the  light,  —  for  when  we  are  near 
God  there  is  no  darkness." 

"  I  wish  I  had  your  courage,  dear,  but  I'm  so  tired, 
so  tired,  and  there  is  such  a  pain  in  my  head  and 
throat.  Do  you  think  that  they  will  find  us  to-day?  " 

"  Let  us  pray  that  they  may.  My  heart  aches 
for  you." 

"  And  why  not  for  yourself  ?  " 

"  I  am  big  and  strong  and  used  to  depending  on 
myself ;  but  you  are  so  frail  —  " 

"  And  so  dependent  upon  some  one  else.  Oh, 
David !  David !  Shall  I  ever  see  you  again  ?  "  and 
the  voice  was  lost  in  a  sob. 

"  Keep  still  over  there ! "  commanded  a  harsh  voice 
in  broken  English.  "  Can't  you  let  folks  sleep  ?  " 

There  was  silence  for  several  minutes,  during  which 
the  white  tip  of  the  mountain  grew  longer.  Then 
again  the  plaintive  voice: 

"  Oh,  dearest,  I  am  so  sick !    And  I  am  so  thirsty !  " 

"  I  will  see  if  I  cannot  find  the  water.  I  saw  where 
the  woman  put  the  gourd  last  night." 

Elizabeth  groped  about  in  the  dim  light,  fearful 
lest  she  should  cause  some  disturbance  which  should 
awaken  the  sleepers  on  the  other  side  of  the  cave  and 
call  forth  a  reproof.  At  last  her  hand  touched  the 


CHRISTMAS    MORNING  359 

gourd  and  she  raised  it  to  her  companion's  lips.  Mrs. 
Johnson  took  a  couple  of  swallows  and  groaned: 

"  It  hurts  so  to  swallow !  And  it  seems  so  cold 
here !  If  I  only  had  David  to  take  me  in  his  arms !  " 
Then  after  a  pause :  "  He  has  medicine,  too.  He 
would  know  just  what  to  give  me.  Would  it  not  be 
nice  if  we  could  all  believe  as  Mr.  Anthony  does? 
Then  we  would  not  get  sick." 

"  The  promises  of  God  are  no  more  for  Mr.  An- 
thony than  for  you  or  me.  We  should  be  able  to  real- 
ize it." 

"  My  faith  seems  so  small.  And  just  now  it  seems 
smaller  than  ever.  I  am  so  cold." 

Elizabeth  took  off  the  light  jacket  which  she  wore 
when  they  were  so  suddenly  seized  and  borne  away 
the  previous  day.  Wrapping  it  around  the  little 
woman's  shoulders,  she  gathered  her  up  in  her  arms. 

"  There,  dear,"  she  said  soothingly,  "  try  and 
sleep  a  little." 

"  Do  you  know  what  day  this  is  ?  "  suddenly  asked 
Mrs.  Johnson. 

"  Thursday." 

"  It  is  Christmas !  I  had  forgotten  it !  I  never 
spent  a  Christmas  like  this  before !  " 

"  It  may  be  different  before  the  day  is  done.  Do 
try  and  sleep,  dear." 

For  some  moments  she  was  silent,  while  Elizabeth 
softly  sang  the  second  verse  of  the  wonderful  hymn. 

"  Do  you  feel  near  enough  to  God  to  ask  Him  to 
make  me  well?"  suddenly  broke  in  Mrs.  Johnson. 
"  You  have  talked  with  Mr.  Anthony.  He  says  faith 
comes  with  understanding.  Do  you  think  so  ?  " 


360        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Yes,  I  think  so." 

"  Have  you  enough  understanding  to  pray  for 
me  to  get  well?  I  mean  enough  to  give  you  the  faith 
that  brings  an  answer." 

"  I  do  not  know,  dear.     Let  me  think." 

This  time  there  was  a  long  silence  not  broken  by 
the  singing.  Elizabeth  was  thinking,  —  thinking 
whether  she  had  sufficient  faith  in  God,  —  sufficient 
understanding  of  the  great  truth  as  she  had  learned 
it  from  Paul,  to  realize  the  unreality  of  the  sickness 
of  her  companion.  Yes,  she  could  see  that  unless 
God  sent  sickness,  it  must  have  come  from  some  other 
creator,  and  she  was  certain  there  was  no  creator  but 
God.  Here,  however,  was  the  test  of  her  faith.  Was 
she  certain  that  God  did  not  send  the  sickness?  All 
her  life  she  had  been  told  that  He  did.  If  He  did, 
why  did  Jesus  heal  it?  If  God  saw  everything  that 
He  had  made,  and  it  was  good,  how  could  He  have 
made  sickness,  which  was  certainly  evil. 

"  And  of  course,"  ran  her  thoughts,  "  Jesus  knew 
that  God  did  not  make  sickness  and  that  is  why  he 
healed  it.  How?  Why,  by  simply  knowing  the 
truth  about  it.  That  is  why  he  said  that  if  we  be- 
lieved, we  should  do  the  works  which  he  did.  Believe 
what?  Why,  that  sickness,  evil,  error,  have  no  real 
existence,  because  God,  good,  is  all-in-all;  is  Spirit, 
Life,  Love,  —  and  man  made  in  His  image  is  spir- 
itual. Of  course  God,  Spirit,  can  have  no  sore  throat 
or  headache,  and  man,  who  is  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  God,  cannot  have  them  either.  How  plain  it 
all  is.  —  "  And  then  suddenly,  "  If  man  cannot  have 


CHRISTMAS    MORNING  861 

them,  of  course  Mrs.  Johnson,  in  truth,  has  not  had 
them  at  all,"  and  almost  without  thinking  she  ex- 
claimed aloud: 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Johnson,  in  Christ,  Truth,  you  have 
no  sore  throat;  you  have  no  headache!  You  are 
well!" 

"  What  ?  "  asked  a  sleepy  voice. 

"  I  say  in  Christ,  Truth,  you  are  well." 

Mrs.  Johnson  sat  up  and  looked  around.  The 
white  tip  on  the  mountain  peak  was  now  a  long  spire 
many  feet  high.  The  early  morning  light  had  dis- 
pelled the  darkness,  and  the  beauty  of  a  mountain 
sunrise  was  filling  all  th^  place. 

"  I  must  have  dropped  off  to  sleep,"  she  said. 
Then  suddenly :  "  Why,  my  throat  is  not  sore  a  bit, 
and  my  head  does  not  ache." 

She  looked  up  into  Elizabeth's  face  and  saw  that 
her  eyes  were  closed  as  in  prayer.  Then  the  real- 
ization of  what  had  happened  dawned  upon  her,  and 
she  said  softly  as  a  great  joy  filled  her  heart:  "  Oh, 
dearest,  God  has  answered  your  prayer!  It  is  won- 
derful ! " 

Elizabeth  again  took  the  little  woman  in  her  arms, 
and  for  a  long  time  they  sat  silently  communing  with 
their  own  thoughts.  Mrs.  Johnson  was  the  first  to 
break  the  silence: 

"  It  was  a  beautiful  Christmas  present !  "  she  mur- 
mured softly. 

"For  me,  at  least,"  said  Elizabeth,  with  a  look 
of  unutterable  happiness  on  her  face,  "  it  has  been 
indeed  a  Christmas  morning,  for  in  my  heart  to-day 
the  Christ  has  indeed  hoen  Vorn." 

Mrs.  Johnson  looked  at  her  with  questioning  eyes. 


362        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Elizabeth  caught  the  look,  and,  as  she  leaned  over 
and  kissed  her,  said: 

"  Do  you  not  see,  dear  heart,  that  as  Christ,  the 
divine  idea,  is  born  anew  in  our  consciousness,  every 
day  is  a  Christmas?" 

But  now  the  camp  is  astir,  and  the  captives, 
clasped  in  each  other's  arms,  draw  back  into  the 
shadow,  as  their  captors  awake  and  preparations 
are  made  for  the  morning  meal.  The  two  native 
women  have  lighted  the  fire,  and  soon  the  appetizing 
aroma  of  the  boiling  coffee  fills  the  cave.  In  spite 
of  their  captivity,  the  missionaries  were  glad  when 
they  were  summoned  to  a  breakfast  consisting  of  cof- 
fee, fish  from  the  mountain  stream,  and  rice  cakes. 
They  came  out  into  the  opening  in  front  of  the  cave, 
and,  with  smiling  faces,  greeted  their  captors.  The 
native  women  eyed  them  with  wonder,  and  the  leader 
—  the  same  villainous  cutthroat  who  was  with  Moung 
Than  the  day  of  the  review  —  remarked  in  an  under- 
tone to  one  of  his  companions,  as  he  jerked  his  thumb 
over  his  shoulder  towards  Elizabeth : 

"  She's  a  beauty !    She'll  bring  a  big  price !  " 

"  The  foreign  mah  must  have  slept  well,"  said  one 
of  the  women,  as  she  handed  around  the  food. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Elizabeth,  "  we  rested  happy  in  the 
thought  of  God." 

The  native  women  exchanged  wondering  glances. 
To  them  her  words  meant  nothing.  Elizabeth  caught 
the  glance  and  exclaimed :  "  You  do  not  know  what 
I  mean,  do  you?  " 

The  woman  shook  her  head.  The  men  drew  nearer 
in  a  curious  manner  to  catch  the  conversation. 


CHRISTMAS    MORNING  363 

"  God  is  He  whom  we  worship  —  as  you  worship 
Buddha  —  only  differently." 

The  women  looked  mystified.  "  There  is  no  pa- 
goda," said  one. 

"  We  need  no  pagoda,"  replied  Elizabeth.  "  Our 
God  is  everywhere.  He  is  Spirit,  and  He  protects 
all  His  children.'* 

A  look  of  intelligence  came  into  the  woman's  eyes 
as  she  exclaimed :  "  Your  god  is  a  nat.  He  is  the 
spirit  of  the  mountains.  He  makes  the  water  and 
the  fishes." 

Elizabeth  thought  of  the  words  of  the  Apostle 
Paul  before  the  Athenians,  and  for  several  minutes 
she  did  her  best  to  explain  that  the  Spirit  whom  they 
ignorantly  worshipped  was  the  God  whom  she  would 
have  them  know  in  truth.  They  were  dull  of  com- 
prehension; but,  with  the  new  light  that  had  come 
to  her,  Elizabeth  was  able  to  explain  the  one  Mind 
sufficiently  to  sow  into  their  thoughts  the  seed  of 
truth  which  should  enable  them  to  understand  God 
as  infinite,  all-power,  all-presence,  all-wisdom. 

"  I  do  not  know  where  you  learned  all  these  won- 
derful things,"  said  Mrs.  Johnson.  "  I  never  have 
heard  you  talk  like  this  before.  You  seem  to  speak 
a  new  language." 

*'  I  just  seem  to  know  it,"  was  Elizabeth's  reply. 
"  It  must  be  the  spirit  of  Truth,  which  Jesus  said 
should  teach  us  all  things.  I  seem  to  know  God  as 
I  never  did  before,  and  I  feel  that  nevermore  can  I 
be  sad  or  alone.  I  seem  to  realize  this  omnipresence 
of  Spirit  —  infinite  Love." 

Mrs.  Johnson  looked  at  her  in  amazement  as  she 


864        PAUL    ANTHONY,   CHRISTIAN 

said  slowly :  "  *  Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear.'  Have 
you  no  fear?  No  fear  of  these  men  and  what  may 
happen  to  us?  " 

"  No.  I  am  sure  that  because  we  have  made  the 
Lord,  which  is  our  refuge,  even  the  Most  High,  our 
habitation,  there  shall  no  evil  befall  us.  Surely 
He  shall  deliver  us  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler. 
We  have  never  injured  these  men,  and  they  must 
recognize  it.  As  for  us,  let  us  realize  that  God's 
man,  the  idea  of  Spirit,  reflects  only  good,  —  only 
the  one  Mind,  and  that  none  of  God's  ideas  can  be 
made  a  channel  for  error.  Yes,  dear,  I  am  sure  that 
it  will  come  out  all  right  if  we  trust  in  God." 

The  meal  was  finished,  and  they  arose  to  retire  to 
the  cave. 

"  You  can  stay  out  in  the  sun  if  you  want  to,"  said 
the  leader  gruffly. 

"  Oh,  thank  you,"  replied  Elizabeth,  with  a  smile. 
"  It  is  so  good  of  you.  Have  you  heard  from  the 
city  yet?" 

The  man  shook  his  head. 

"  Have   you   sent   word   how   much    ransom   you 

wish?" 

The  man  looked  at  her  curiously,  and  then  burst 
into  a  laugh.  "  There  is  to  be  no  ransom,"  he  said. 

"  No  ransom !    What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

Her  heart  seemed  gripped  with  a  great  fear,  and 
she  leaned  eagerly  forward.  Mrs.  Johnson's  lips 
moved,  as  though  to  ask  a  question,  but  it  would  not 
come,  and  she  grasped  Elizabeth's  hand  fiercely. 

The  man  turned  to  leave  without  replying,  then 
changed  his  mind. 


CHRISTMAS    MORNING  365 

*'  You  were  not  taken  for  ransom,"  he  told  her. 
**  You  were  taken  to  prevent  you  from  becoming  the 
Princess  of  Bajipur.  It  is  for  the  good  of  the  state. 
You  are  to  be  removed  from  the  borders." 

At  his  words  Elizabeth's  heart  sank  within  her, 
but  she  put  on  a  brave  face,  and  said  with  a  smile: 
*'  How  foolish !  There  is  no  danger  of  my  becoming 
the  Princess  of  Bajipur.  If  that  is  the  reason,  why 
should  my  companion  suffer?  She  might  at  least 
be  ransomed." 

"  No  one  must  know  where  you  are,  and  we  must 
be  paid  for  our  work.  The  Khan  of  Thibet  will  pay 
well.  You  will  be  the  pearls  of  his  harem." 

He  turned  away  as  Mrs.  Johnson  fell  to  the  ground 
in  a  swoon.  Elizabeth  raised  her  tenderly,  and  the 
native  women  came  to  her  assistance.  They  bore  her 
within  the  cave  and  laid  her  gently  on  a  mat. 

"  It  would  be  a  blessing,"  was  Elizabeth's  first 
thought,  "  if  she  never  revived."  Then  in  a  moment 
it  came  to  her :  "  What  right  have  I  to  think  such  a 
thing?  God  is  her  refuge.  He  is  protecting  her. 
A  moment  ago  it  seemed  as  though  my  faith  could 
withstand  any  test;  now  I  seem  to  have  lost  it  com- 
pletely." 

Mrs.  Johnson  moved  slightly.  The  color  came 
back  to  her  face  and  she  opened  her  eyes.  For  a 
moment  she  looked  about  as  though  trying  to  collect 
her  thoughts,  and  then  turned  her  face  to  the  wall. 
Elizabeth  seemed  to  read  her  thoughts,  and  buried 
her  own  face  in  her  hands.  She  tried  to  pray,  but 
it  seemed  as  though  she  could  not.  For  some  mo- 


366        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

ments  she  sat  thus,  and  then  her  thoughts  began  to 
take  shape. 

"  It  is  just  error  trying  to  destroy  the  truth," 
they  ran.  "  It  is  impossible.  Why  should  I  feel  any 
worse  than  I  did  an  hour  ago?  There  is  no  change 
in  my  condition.  It  only  seems  different.  I  was 
expecting  to  be  free  and  was  hopeful.  Now  I  seem 
doomed  to  perpetual  slavery,  and  I  am  despondent. 
The  spiritual  truth  is  that  I  live  and  move  and  have 
my  being  in  God,  and  that  no  evil  can  come  nigh  me. 
*  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil.'  " 

She  arose  to  her  feet.  "  I  will  just  know  the  truth ! 
God  made  no  evil,  therefore  it  does  not  exist,  and  I 
need  not  fear  it."  She  burst  into  song :  "  To  us  a 
child  of  Hope  is  born."  It  aroused  Mrs.  Johnson, 
who  turned  and  looked  at  her  with  open-eyed  wonder. 
It  was  not  a  song  of  despair.  It  was  a  song  of  praise 
and  joy.  It  aroused  her  to  action,  and  she  asked 
as  she  arose : 

"  Have  you  really  then  no  fear?  " 

"  None !  For  *  He  shall  give  His  angels  charge 
over  thee  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways.'  In  some 
manner,  in  some  way,  we  shall  be  freed  from  these 
bonds  and  restored  to  freedom.  I  know  it ! " 

Even  the  natives  were  moved  to  wonder  by  her 
actions.  Could  it  really  be  that  the  spirit,  which  she 
had  told  them  about,  was  protecting  her?  Otherwise 
how  could  she  be  happy  and  sing?  They  were  a 
rough  and  wicked  lot.  They  had  taken  captives 
before,  but  they  were  accustomed  to  tears,  not  songs. 
Had  she  suddenly  formed  some  plan  to  escape  ?  What 


CHRISTMAS    MORNING  367 

was  it  that  had  come  over  her?  They  redoubled 
their  vigilance,  and  when,  along  about  noon,  there 
was  a  signal  from  the  lookout  on  a  distant  crag,  they 
hurried  the  women  into  the  cave,  and  put  up  the  bar- 
ricade. Even  then  Elizabeth  had  no  feeling  of  ex- 
citement. Nor  was  she  really  surprised  when,  half 
an  hour  later,  she  heard  voices  outside,  and  among 
them  recognized  that  of  Paul. 

But  Mrs.  Johnson,  who  also  recognized  the  voice, 
was  filled  with  ecstasy.  She  threw  her  arms  about 
Elizabeth,  and  was  so  overcome  that,  when  the  bar- 
rier was  removed  and  they  were  led  forth  into  tho 
light,  she  again  fainted  in  Paul's  arms. 

As  Paul  greeted  Elizabeth,  he  realized  at  once  that 
a  change  had  come  over  her.  He  looked  at  her  in 
a  questioning  manner,  which  was  answered  by  a 
smile,  as  she  exclaimed :  "  I  had  no  fear.  I  knew  we 
were  protected  and  that  the  eternal  God  is  our 
refuge,  that  '  underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms.' ' 

That  evening  Paul  sat  alone  with  Colonel  Holliday 
at  his  headquarters.  He  had  gone  over  the  events 
of  the  day,  and  had  detailed  the  rescue  of  the  ladies 
and  the  utter  collapse  of  the  conspiracy. 

"  It  was  good  work  !  Good  work !  "  exclaimed  the 
colonel ;  "  and  you  are  entitled  to  much  credit.  I 
(•''id  not  think  that  it  was  possible." 

"  And  what  is  your  opinion  of  a  practical  relig- 
ion now?"  asked  Paul,  with  a  quizzical  smile. 
"  T)oes  the  Golden  Rule  and  the  Principle  involved 
strike  vou  as  suffirientlv  scientific  to  solve  the  ordi- 
nary problems  of  life?  " 

"It  seems  to  work;    but  wherein  is  it  scientific?" 


368        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Because  there  is  no  deviation  either  in  the  Prin- 
ciple or  rule  involved.  Love  will  cast  out  hate  with 
just  as  scientific  a  certainty  as  light  dispels  darkness, 
or  as  four  taken  from  eight  will  leave  four." 

"  Well,  I  am  sure  I  do  not  know  much  about  this 
sort  of  science,  and  I  am  not  prepared  to  discuss  the 
practicability  of  your  religion ;  but  as  for  you,  Mr. 
Anthony,"  and  Colonel  Holliday  leaned  forward  in 
his  chair  and  fixed  his  eyes  intently  upoo  him,  "  you 
are  a  wonder  I  " 


CHAPTER    XXIV 

BEAPING    THE    HAKVEST 

THE  return  of  Elizabeth  and  Mrs.  Johnson  was 
the  occasion  of  great  rejoicing  at  the  palace.  In 
fact  it  was  the  cause  of  rejoicing  throughout  official 
circles,  as  it  proved  the  total  collapse  of  the  con- 
spiracy. When  the  news  of  their  return  was  carried 
to  Prince  Smdhu  by  Sofia,  he  at  once  demanded  to 
see  Paul;  but  Major  O'Keefe  had  given  orders  th.it 
under  no  consideration  was  Paul  to  be  admitted  to 
the  sick-chamber.  Sindhu  demanded  to  know  the 
reason  for  »nch  an  order,  but  the  only  information 
Vouchsafed  by  the  well  trained  army  nurse  was  that 
it  was  "  the  -doctor's  orders." 

"  Why  c«.nnot  I  see  Mr.  Anthony  as  well  as  my 
sister?"  he  demanded. 

"  I  can't  say,  sir,"  replied  the  nurse.  "  I  only 
know  Mr.  Anthony's  to  be  kept  out,  sir." 

As  a  result  Prince  Sindhu  had  to  be  satisfied  with 
expressing  his  appreciation  of  Paul's  work  by  a  mes- 
sage through  Sofia,  which  she  was  only  too  glad  to 
carry. 

"  I  do  not  know  why  the  surgeon  has  forbidden  you 
admission  to  Sindhu,"  she  said,  "  unless  it  is  that  he 
j«  afraid  you  may  cure  him  as  quickly  as  you  did  Mr. 

369 


870        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Lombard;  but  Sindhu  does  not  wish  to  disobey  OP» 
ders,  and  asks  that  you  will  excuse  him." 

"  No  excuses  are  necessary,  Princess.  I  suppose 
that  the  surgeon  thinks  that  I  may  excite  his  patient, 
although  he  denies  that  I  might  soothe  him.  I  trust 
he  will  not  forbid  Miss  Raymond  admission,  for  I 
am  certain  her  presence  will  do  your  brother  good." 

Sofia  smiled  knowingly.  "  I  am  sure,  too."  Un- 
wittingly she  allowed  a  little  sigh  to  escape  her,  as  she 
said :  "  What  a  great  healer  of  wounds  is  love !  " 

Paul  purposely  professed  to  misunderstand  her  as 
he  replied :  "  Yes,  divine  love  is  the  universal  remedy 
for  all  the  needs  of  mankind." 

"  I  was  thinking  of  human  love." 

"  Human  love,  Princess,  is  but  a  faint  reflection 
of  the  divine ;  but,  faint  as  it  is,  it  is  only  as  we 
come  to  realize  this  fact  that  we  get  the  greatest 
enjoyment  and  comfort  out  of  human  affection.  To 
love  one's  neighbor  absolutely  as  oneself  is  to  reflect 
perfectly  divine  Love  —  the  one  Mind.  Love  for 
each  other,  as  well  as  love  for  God,  enlarges,  enriches 
and  purifies  mankind.  In  this  way  Love  does  heal 
our  wounds ;  our  pains  are  eased  and  our  fears  as- 
suaged even  by  what  we  are  pleased  to  term  human 
love." 

Sofia's  eyes  became  brighter  as  he  spoke,  and  she 
drank  in  every  word.  "  It  is  a  beautiful  thought, 
Mr.  Anthony,  and  if  human  love  is  such  a  reflection 
as  you  say,  it,  too,  must  be  eternal." 

"  It  certainly  must,  Princess.  Love,  true  love, 
born  of  the  admiration  of  goodness  and  purity  re- 
flected by  another,  is  certainly  spiritual,  and  spirit 


REAPING    THE    HARVEST  371 

never  dies.  Marriages  that  result  from  such  love  &A 
this  are  happy.  Where  both  husband  and  wife  are 
pure,  tender  and  strong,  there  will  be  perfect  har- 
mony; and  what  is  love  but  the  daily  reflection  of 
God,  good,  of  harmony  of  thought  and  action ;  as  the 
poet  has  so  aptly  put  it :  '  Two  souls  with  but  a 
single  thought ;  two  hearts  that  beat  as  one.'  " 

They  were  seated  on  a  wide  divan  in  Sofia's  draw- 
ing-room. She  leaned  forward,  with  one  hand  resting 
on  the  back  of  the  divan,  and,  as  he  ceased  speaking, 
she  said :  "  Once  before,  Mr.  Anthony,  I  asked  you 
if  you  thought  Miss  Raymond,  beincr  a  Christian, 
would  wed  my  brother,  who  is  a  Buddhist.  In  the 
light  of  what  you  have  just  said,  you  do  not  think 
that  such  a  marriage  would  be  happy,  —  is  not  that 
what  you  mean?  " 

He  did  not  reply  immediately,  and  she  leaned 
toward  him  still  farther,  and  awaited  breathlessly  his 
reply.  It  seemed  as  though  he  must  hear  the  wild 
beating  of  her  heart,  which  sent  the  blood  surging 
through  her  arteries  with  the  intensity  of  her  emo- 
tion. At  last  he  said : 

"  I  cannot  answer  for  Miss  Raymond ;  but  to  me 
it  seems  that  unless  there  were  perfect  unity  of 
thought  and  purpose  between  man  and  wife,  they 
would  not  reach  that  harmony  so  essential  to  a  happy 
marriage.  True  love  expresses  the  absolute  reflec- 
tion of  the  one  Mind,  —  a  reflection  unclouded  by  a 
single  false  belief.  So-called  human  love,  born  of 
passion  or  sentiment,  also  depends  upon  harmony, 
even  for  its  temporal  existence.  How,  then,  can  a 
marriage  be  happy  —  harmonious  —  when  there 


372        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

would  be  natural  discord  on  the  subject  which  is  of 
the  highest  import  to  mankind,  —  the  Science  of 
being?  How  could  two  individuals  live  harmoniously 
where  one  believed  in  God  and  the  other  in  no  God?  " 
"  But,  Mr.  Anthony,"  exclaimed  Sofia,  with  a 
vehemence  entirely  unusual  to  her,  "  after  what  he 
has  learned,  —  after  what  he  has  seen  done  by  you, 

—  how  can  he  help  believing  in  God  ?  " 
"  Ask  yourself,  Princess." 

And  now  it  was  Paul  who  awaited  anxiously 
a  reply.  Was  it  possible  that  so  pronounced  a 
heathen  as  Mrs.  Johnson  had  once  called  Sofia  could 
have  laid  aside  her  beliefs,  and  come  to  recognize  God, 

—  and  not   only  to  recognize  Him,  but  to   wonder 
how  any  one  could  doubt  Him? 

"  Ask  yourself,  Princess,"  repeated  Paul.  "  Can 
you  help  believing  in  God  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  cannot.  And  I  would  know  more  of 
Him.  I  would  have  the  understanding.  I  have  one 
of  your  Bibles.  I  have  read  it  as  I  have  the  sacred 
books  of  other  religions ;  but  now  I  would  be  able 
to  read  it  with  the  understanding  which  comes  from 
this  new  light.  I  have  read :  *  Blessed  are  the  pure 
in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God.'  Do  you  think  that 
I  could  ever  be  that  ?  " 

"  Jesus  told  us  to  *  be  perfect,  even  as  our  Father 
in  heaven  is  perfect.'  If  he  had  not  thought  it  pos- 
sible, he  would  not  have  laid  such  a  command  upon 
us.  In  the  same  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  he  said: 
c  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,'  which  he  taught  is  within  us, — 
within  every  human  consciousness.  They  are  poor  in 


REAPING    THE    HARVEST  373 

spirit  who  are  earnestly  striving  to  know  more  of 
Truth;  the  receptive  thought.  Princess,  you  have 
the  desire,  and  you  certainly  may  see  God.  Fear 
not.  Only  believe !  " 

"  And  will  you  help  me?    Will  you  teach  me?  " 

"  All  that  I  am  able ;  and  I  will  read  to  you  from 
the  Bible  and  my  text-book  till  such  time  as  you  have 
one  of  your  own." 

He  arose  to  go,  and,  as  he  did  so,  extended  his 
hand :  "'  You  have  made  me  very  happy,  Princess. 
I  trust  your  brother,  too,  may  see  the  great  light." 

"  Oh,  I  feel  that  he  must ;  and  that  reminds  me 
of  the  message  which  caused  me  to  send  for  you. 
He  asked  what  you  thought  he  should  do  with  those 
young  men  who  tried  to  carry  me  away.  What  pun- 
ishment should  be  meted  out  to  them  ?  " 

"  Tell  your  brother  that  if  I  were  he,  I  should 
*  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  their  heads.' ' 

Sofia  could  scarcely  believe  her  ears.  She  looked 
up  into  his  face,  over  which  had  spread  a  kindly 
smile. 

"  That  would  be  horrible ! "  she  exclaimed. 
"  Surely  I  do  not  understand  you." 

"  The  Bible  teaches  that  if  we  return  good  for 
evil,  we  shall  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  the  heads  of 
our  enemies.  It  is  this  kind  of  fire  I  would  use. 
This  is  my  message  to  your  brother :  *  Love  your 
enemies ;  bless  them  that  curse  you ;  do  good  to 
them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despite- 
fully  use  you  and  persecute  you.'  Free  the  young 
men,  and  thus  destroy  your  enemies  by  making 
friends  of  them." 


374        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Do  you  think  that  he  will  do  it?  " 

"  Perhaps  if  he  will  not  on  my  advice,  he  will  on 
that  of  Miss  Raymond;  for  I  am  sure  she  will  give 
him  the  same  advice.  It  is  not  only  Christian  but 
scientific,  for  Love  destroys  hate  just  as  surely  as 
light  destroys  darkness." 

He  turned  to  the  door. 

"  And  when  will  you  begin  to  teach  me  from  your 
wonderful  book?  "  asked  Sofia. 

"  Whenever  you  are  ready." 

When  Paul  reached  his  own  apartments,  he  found 
several  visitors.  Captain  Shway  was  there  to  ask 
what  was  to  be  done  with  the  conspirators.  Paul 
sent  him  to  the  princess.  Oo  Toung-lay  and  Mr. 
Lombard  were  there  to  congratulate  him  on  the  suc- 
cess of  his  mission  to  the  mountains,  and  to  ask 
when  they  might  come  in  and  study  their  lessons. 

"  Make  it  to-night,"  said  Paul.  "  Say  along 
about  eight  o'clock,  and,  if  it  suits  you,  we  will  study 
every  evening  at  the  same  hour  as  long  as  we  remain 
here.  I  am  expecting  a  call  from  Captain  Ormonde 
to-night,  but  if  he  comes  over,  we  will  invite  him 
to  stay.  Some  of  these  army  men  certainly  need  to 
hear  the  word." 

These  visitors  had  only  just  left  when  Dhuleep 
Mingh  announced  a  lady.  What  was  Paul's  surprise 
upon  rising  to  greet  his  visitor  to  discover  Nora. 

"  You  will  pardon  my  intrusion,"  she  said  by  way 
of  greeting,  "  but  something  has  happened  which  I 
feel  you  must  know.  As  it  was  partially  my  fault 
that  it  occurred,  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  tell  you.  There 
is  another  conspiracy  on  foot." 


REAPING    THE    HARVEST  375 

**  You  surprise  me,"  exclaimed  Paul.  "  I  thought 
we  had  given  the  conspirators  such  a  lesson  that  they 
would  behave  themselves  from  now  on.  But  sit  down. 
Let  us  talk  it  over." 

"  This  is  not  that  kind  of  a  conspiracy,  Mr.  An- 
thony. This  is  a  conspiracy  against  you,  and  the 
conspirators  are  persons  whom  you  never  would  sus- 
pect." 

"  Well !  Well !  This  is  serious,  —  that  is,  if  they 
are  persons  whom  I  would  never  suspect.  Now  sup- 
posing that  I  should  name  the  persons.  That  would 
make  it  less  serious,  would  it  not,  Miss  Nora?  " 

"  I  do  not  see  how." 

"  If  I  could  name  the  conspirators,  it  would  indi- 
cate that  I  could  guess  at  the  cause  of  the  conspiracy 
and  thwart  it." 

"  True.  I  had  not  thought  of  that.  But  you 
would  never  guess  these." 

"  I  will  have  just  one  try  at  it.  Now  tell  me,  is 
not  one  a  doctor  and  the  other  a  clergyman?  " 

'*  Sure,  Mr.  Anthony,  how  could  you  ever  guess  ?  " 

"  Because,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  one  of  them 
is  doing  his  best  to  cure  the  world  of  sickness,  and 
the  other  is  doing  his  best  to  heal  the  world  of  sin, 
they  unite  on  a  common  ground  to  prevent  any  other 
person  from  doing  what  each  of  them  is  trying  to 
do,  unless  that  person  goes  about  it  in  exactly  the 
same  way  that  they  have  been  doing  for  the  last 
fifteen  hundred  years,  —  during  all  of  which  time,  in 
spite  of  the  doctor  and  the  preacher,  the  world  has 
been  getting  worse,  both  as  regards  sickness  and  sin, 

"  The  conspiracy  against  me  in  Annakan  is  only 


376        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

a  part  of  the  same  conspiracy  that  is  being  planned 
and  put  into  execution  against  men  and  women  in 
my  position  all  over  the  world.  If  you  were  likely 
to  have  relations  with  more  than  one  doctor  or  more 
than  one  preacher,  I  might  have  had  trouble  in  guess- 
ing who  they  were.  As  it  is,  I  know  they  must  be 
your  father  and  Elder  Meredith." 

Nora  listened  to  him  in  the  greatest  surprise. 

"  But  why  should  they  wish  to  injure  you?  "  she 
asked. 

"  They  do  not.  Personally  they  have  not  the 
slightest  thing  against  me.  It  is  the  thing  which  I 
represent  that  they  are  fighting;  and  each  of  them 
is  honestly  doing  what  he  thinks  is  right.  That  is 
the  funny  part  of  it." 

"  I  believe  you're  right !  " 

"  I  know  I  am  right,"  continued  Paul.  "  And 
the  strange  thing  about  it  is  that  your  father  does 
not  care  how  much  sickness  I  overcome  if  I  will 
only  admit  that  I  did  not  do  it  through  prayer ;  and 
Elder  Meredith  does  not  care  how  much  sin  I  help 
destroy  if  I  will  only  admit  that  sin  is  truth  instead 
of  error;  and  neither  of  them  cares  how  much  I  in- 
vade the  other's  territory." 

Nora  laughed  heartily.  "  Faith,  it  looks  that 
way,"  she  said ;  "  but  now  that  you  know  who  the 
conspirators  are,  what  do  you  think  they  propose 
to  do?" 

"  I  know  that  it  has  something  to  do  with  Prince 
Sindhu,  for  I  am  forbidden  his  room." 

"  Sure,  it's  a  shame !  "  exclaimed  Nora  angrily ; 
**  and  they  want  to  drive  you  out  of  Bajipur  by  tell- 


REAPING    THE    HARVEST  377 

ing  Prince  Sindhu  that  you  are  —  well,  that  you 
are  not  a  proper  person  for  young  ladies  to  know. 
It's  a  shame !  " 

"  Have  no  fear  for  me,  Miss  Nora.  The  shafts  of 
malice  will  strike  harmlessly,  or  worse  still,  like  a 
boomerang,  will  rebound  against  those  who  hurl 
them." 

"  I  wish  I  could  see  things  a?  you  do,  Mr.  Anthony. 
You  remind  me  of  Elizabeth,  —  the  darling,  —  who 
hasn't  even  an  angry  thought  against  me  after  the 
way  I  treated  her.  She  just  said  it  was  error  using 
me,  and  it  wasn't  really  me  at  all  who  thought  I  hated 
her.  Faith,  I  told  her  again,  as  I've  told  her  before, 
if  any  one  in  this  benighted  land  ever  gets  to  heaven, 
she'll  be  that  one;  and  I  think  you'll  go  over  the 
same  route." 

Paul  smiled  at  Nora's  quaint  expression  as  he  re- 
marked : 

"  You  seem  to  have  a  rather  vague  idea  of  where 
heaven  is  located." 

Her  face  grew  serious :  "  I'm  afraid  I  have,  Mr. 
Anthony ;  but  still  I  hope  to  find  my  way  there  some 
time." 

Her  serious  manner  had  a  similar  effect  upon  Paul, 
who  looked  at  her  earnestly  as  he  thought  to  himself : 

"  Here  is  another  hungry  heart  who  knows  not 
where  to  turn  for  the  bread  of  life."  Aloud  he  said: 

"  The  only  person  who  ever  told  us  exactly  where 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  located  was  Jesus.  He 
said :  *  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  within  you.'  That 
does  not  seem  so  very  far  away,  does  it?  " 

"  No,  but  how  am  I  to  find  it?  " 


378        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Jesus  said  to  search  the  Scriptures ;  and  also, 
that  to  know  God  and  the  truth  was  eternal  life.  In 
the  Bible  you  will  find  it  all.  Sometimes  it  is  hard 
to  understand,  but  there  is  a  little  book,  which  I  shall 
be  glad  to  show  you,  that  will  unlock  the  Scriptures 
and  make  them  plain." 

"  Do  you  think  that  men  like  father  and  Elder 
Meredith  have  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  them  ?  Sure, 
they  don't  show  it." 

"  Very  few  of  us  do  until  we  begin  to  reflect  divine 
Love.  However,  we  must  not  judge  them.  Each, 
I  am  sure,  is  acting  according  to  his  highest  light." 

"  Faith,  it's  kind  of  you  to  say  that.  I'll  see  you 
again  in  a  day  or  two.  I'm  going  home  now  to  see  if 
I  can't  find  some  of  that  same  kingdom." 

"  The  thought  that  prompted  you  to  ask  Miss 
Raymond's  forgiveness,  and  to  warn  me  of  the  seem- 
ing evil,  are  proofs  to  me  that  you  will  find  a  good 
deal  of  it." 

"  If  I  do,  it'll  all  be  because  of  the  kind  words  you 
spoke  to  me  the  other  morning." 

As  she  departed,  Paul  thought  to  himself :  "  '  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven,  which  a  woman 
took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal.'  How  long 
before  the  whole  world  will  be  leavened  by  the  leaven 
of  love?  " 


CHAPTER   XXV 

ELIZABETH    AND    SINDHU 

WHEN  Sofia  returned  to  Sindhu's  room  to  carry 
Paul's  message,  she  found  Elizabeth  waiting  for  her. 

**  I  felt  that  I  must  come  and  see  your  brother," 
she  explained,  as  the  two  young  women  greeted  each 
other  affectionately.  "  Nora  told  me  that  they  would 
not  let  Mr.  Anthony  visit  him,  but  that  there  were 
no  orders  against  me." 

"  No,"  replied  Sofia,  '*  Mr.  Anthony  seems  a  per- 
sona non  grata  to  Major  O'Keefe." 

"  Likewise  to  Elder  Meredith.  Why  is  it  that 
people  take  such  strange  prejudices?" 

"  And  especially  against  so  good  a  man  as  Mr. 
Anthony!  I  cannot  understand,  Bess,  how  any  one 
could  hear  him  talk  about  God  and  His  goodness,  and 
not  be  convinced  of  his  honesty  of  purpose  as  well  as 
the  truth  about  God  and  man." 

So  unexpected  were  Sofia's  words  that  they  filled 
Elizabeth  with  astonishment,  at  the  same  time  bring- 
ing to  her  a  great  joy. 

"  Oh,  Princess,"  she  exclaimed,  "  do  you  really  be- 
fieve?  Do  you  believe  in  our  God  and  His  Christ?" 

*«How  could  I  doubt?" 

m  And  yet  you  did  when  I  talked  with  you ! " 


380        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  True,  my  Bessv  but  you  did  not  do  the  things 
you  taught.  You  did  no  works." 

Elizabeth  bowed  her  head.  " '  By  their  fruits  ye 
shall  know  them/  "  she  quoted.  "  Truly,  Princess,  I 
begin  to  see  that  words  without  works  are  /alueless 
in  this  land,  where  nothing  is  taken  for  granteJ.  and 
where  those  who  seek  must  be  shown.  If  this  land  is 
to  be  Christianized  it  must  be  by  demonstration,  not 
by  argument.  It  is  practice,  not  preaching  that  is 
needed.  Now  as  never  before  do  I  appreciate  the 
words  of  James  when  he  said :  '  But  wilt  thou  know, 
O  vain  man,  that  faith  without  works  is  dead?  For 
RS  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  with- 
out works  is  dead  also.' ' 

*'  Why  do  you  send  missionaries  out  here  who  can~ 
not  do  these  works  ?  "  asked  Sofia. 

"  Because  we  seem  to  have  none  who  can.  Mr.  An- 
thony is  the  only  person  I  ever  knew  who  could,  ever* 
in  a  measure,  do  the  works  Jesus  admonished  his  fol- 
lowers to  do." 

"  There  must  be  others.  I  hear  him  tell  of  great 
churches  full  of  them." 

"  Yes,  Princess,  there  are ;  but  I  for  one  have  al- 
ways scoffed  at  these  people.  I  thought  they  were 
unbalanced  or  worse.  I  even  thought  them  blasphe- 
mous." 

"  But  you  believe  now,  Bess.  Can  you  do  the 
works?  " 

Elizabeth's  heart  bounded  as  she  thought  of  that 
early  Christmas  morning  on  the  mountain.  "  I  can 
do  more  than  I  did,  Princess,  and  I  am  striving  daily 
for  more  understanding,  but  I  am  so  glad  that  you, 


ELIZABETH    AND    SINDHU  881 

too,  have  found  the  truth."  She  hesitated  a  moment, 
and  then  asked :  "  And  your  brother,  —  does  he 
believe?  " 

"  I  fear  not ;  he  chose  the  doctor  instead  of  Mr. 
Anthony  and  his  God.  I  am  sure  however,  that  he 
will  believe.  I  am  praying  that  he  may." 

"  And  I,  too,  Princess.  If  we  pray,  believing,  our 
prayers  will  surely  be  answered." 

"  Why  are  you  praying  for  Sindhu  ?  "  asked  Sofia, 

"  Why  not  ?  He  is  a  noble  young  man,  and  I 
would  that  he  might  also  come  into  this  great  light,  — 
this  great  love !  " 

Sofia  had  not  yet  come  to  fully  understand,  and 
she  looked  at  Elizabeth  with  a  questioning  glance. 
Finally  she  asked: 

"  Do  you  love  him,  that  you  pray  for  him  ?  " 

It  was  now  Elizabeth's  turn  to  be  surprised.  She 
did  not  know  just  how  to  answer.  She  could  not 
easily  explain  to  Sofia  her  feelings,  but  she  finally 
answered :  "  I  am  trying  to  love  all  mankind.  Our 
great  Master  said  to  love  one  another;  and  in  this 
way  I  love  all  God's  children." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  love?  " 

Elizabeth  started  to  reply  and  then  stopped. 
Surely  this  was  a  hard  question.  Sofia  noted  her 
hesitation  and  said: 

"  Mr.  Anthony  says  that  to  love  is  to  reflect  God, 

—  the  one  Mind,  Spirit;    that  when  those  who  are 

dear  to  each  other  do  this  they  will  be  in  perfect 

harmony ;  their  souls  will  have  but  one  thought,  and 

they  will  be  as  one.    This,  he  says,  is  true  love." 

"Did  he  tell  you  that?" 


882        PALL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  Yes.  And  he  said  that  true  love  was  born  of 
goodness  and  purity  and  must  be  spiritual.  Is  that 
the  way  you  love  my  brother?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell,  Princess,  but,  oh,  I  wish  that  he 
might  come  to  know  the  true  God." 

"  And  I,  too,"  murmured  Sofia  as  she  placed  her 
arm  about  Elizabeth.  "  In  this  we  are  of  one  mind ; 
and  I  know  that  I  love  you." 

Elizabeth's  reply  was  a  kiss. 

"  Now  let  us  go  to  my  brother.  He  will  be  so  glad 
to  see  you." 

Together  they  entered  the  sick  man's  room.  Sindhu 
lay  perfectly  still  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  ceiling. 
So  pale  and  changed  did  he  look  and  so  quiet  did  he 
lie,  that  for  a  moment  Elizabeth's  heart  was  filled 
with  fear.  He  had  heard  them  enter,  and,  as  they 
approached  his  bedside,  he  turned  his  eyes  in  greet- 
ing, while  the  first  smile  of  days  rested  on  his  face. 

With  more  strength  than  he  had  manifested  since 
he  was  wounded,  he  extended  his  hand,  while  the  nurse 
drew  back  to  the  other  side  of  the  room.  "  It  is  so 
good  of  you  to  come  and  see  a  wounded  man,"  he 
said.  "  If  you  knew  how  I  had  hungered  for  a  sight 
of  your  bright  face,  I  know  that  you  would  have 
come  sooner." 

"  Indeed  I  would  have  come  sooner,  anyway,  had 
I  known  that  they  would  have  let  me  see  you." 

"  They  are  a  little  strict.  Why,  they  will  not  even 
let  me  see  Mr.  Anthony  to  thank  him  for  his  part  in 
rescuing  you." 

"  I  am  sure  that  he  understands,"  said  Sofia,  "  and 
he  sent  you  a  message,  too."  I 


ELIZABETH    AND    SINDHU  383 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  know !  The  punishment  for  the  con- 
spirators, —  for  doubt  not,  Eliz  —  I  mean  Miss  Ray- 
mond, —  that  they  shall  be  severely  punished  for  their 
part  in  this  affair,  and  for  the  pain  and  anguish  they 
have  caused  you.  What  is  Mr.  Anthony's  message,, 
Sofia?" 

"  He  said  he  would  *  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  their 
heads.'  " 

Sofia  glanced  at  Elizabeth,  and  saw  at  once  by  the 
amused  smile  on  her  face  that  she  had  grasped  the 
real  intent  of  Paul's  *yords. 

"Excellent!  Excellent!"  exclaimed  Sindhu.  "I 
could  have  thought  of  nothing  better.  Just  wait  till 
I  am  able  to  be  up !  " 

"  If  you  will  carry  out  Mr.  Anthony's  suggestion 
in  the  manner  he  proposes,  you  will  not  have  to  wait 
till  you  are  up.  Here  is  the  rest  of  his  message: 
'  Love  your  enemies ;  bless  them  that  curse  you ;  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you  — ' ; 

"What?"  interrupted  Sindhu  in  the  greatest 
amazement,  and  attempting  to  rise.  "  What ;  do 
good  to  them  that  have  tried  to  overthrow  my  rule 
and  steal  away  the  woman  I  love?  He  is  mocking 
me!" 

His  exertions  proved  too  much  for  him  and  he 
sank  back  on  the  bed. 

Elizabeth  had  stepped  quickly  to  his  bedside.  She 
had  heard  his  words,  but  recognized  that  this  was  no 
time  for  foolish  sentiment.  As  he  sank  back  she 
placed  her  hand  gently  on  his  forehead,  saying: 

"  Do  not  excite  yourself,  Prince.  You  misunder- 
stand. Will  you  let  me  explain?  " 


384        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

The  touch  of  her  hand  thrilled,  but  quieted  him. 

TOT  a  moment  he  allowed  his  eyes  to  seek  her  face, 

.and  then,  taking  her  hand  in  his,  he  carried  it  to  his 

lips.      Sofia  quickly  perceived  that  they  were  better 

.alone,  and  withdrew,  cautioning  the  nurse  not  to  dis- 

.   iurb  them  as  long  as  it  was  not  necessary. 

t,       u  Forgive  my  outburst,"  the   wounded  man   said 

after  a  pause  of  some  minutes,  during  which  he  still 

retained  her  hand,  "  but  these  men  must  be  punished." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Elizabeth,  "  they  must  be  punished. 
And  that  is  what  Mr.  Anthony  meant  when  he  said  he 
would  '  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  their  heads.' ' 

"  But  how  can  I  *  heap  coals  of  fire  upon  their 
heads  '  if  I  forgive  them?  " 

"  A  very  wise  king  once  said  that  by  the  very  for- 
giving of  our  enemies  we  should  heap  coals  of  fire 
upon  their  heads.  That  is  what  Mr.  Anthony  meant." 

"  But  they  might  do  the  same  thing  over  again." 

"  I  am  sure  that  they  will  not.  See  how  kind 
Moung  Kai  Yang  was  when  Mr.  Anthony  talked  to 
him,  and  how  anxious  he  was  to  bring  us  back.  Can 
not  you  see  that  if  Mr.  Anthony  had  not  destroyed 
this  enemy  by  making  a  friend  of  him,  I  might  even 
now  be  locked  up  in  some  mountain  cave  or  on  my 
way  to  Thibet,  for  force  would  have  been  of  small 
".vail." 

At  the  mention  of  her  imprisonment  he  clasped  her 
hand  more  firmly,  and  as  she  ceased  speaking  asked: 
"  Do  you  wish  me  to  forgive  them,  Mee  Mee?  Do 
you  not  wish  them  punished  for  the  evil  they  have 
•done?  " 

"  It  is  not  of  them  I  am  thinking  at  all.     It  is  of 


ELIZABETH    AND    SINDHU  385 

you.  Can  you  not  see  what  a  noble  act  it  will  be  ta 
free  these  men?  Their  offense  was  really  not  against 
the  state,  but  against  you,  —  and  me,"  she  added 
after  a  pause.  "  If  you  punish  them,  you  will  create 
discord  in  your  realm,  as  many  will  side  with  them 
against  me,  who  am  a  foreigner.  If  you  liberate 
them,  it  will  destroy  the  very  weapons  which  their 
friends  would  seek  to  use  against  you.  Be  magnani- 
mous, Prince  Sindhu,  and  forgive  them.  This  very 
deed  will,  I  am  sure,  aid  in  your  recovery." 

He  looked  at  her  long  and  earnestly,  still  holding 
her  hand.  She  could  see  that  he  was  thinking  deeply. 
At  last  he  spoke : 

"  Do  you  think  that  Mr.  Anthony  is  a  greater  man 
than  I?  " 

The  question  was  so  unexpected  that  it  startled  her, 
and  for  a  moment  the  blood  rushed  to  her  cheeks 
and  her  hand  trembled  in  his.  Quickly  recovering 
herself,  she  replied: 

"  It  depends  upon  how  you  handle  this  question. 
This  same  wise  king,  Solomon,  declared  that  he  who 
*  ruleth  his  spirit  is  greater  than  he  who  taketh  a  city.' 
If  you  are  able  to  govern  your  spirit,  to  put  away 
your  anger,  you  will  have  done  better  than  Mr.  An- 
thony, because  your  training  has  been  the  other 
way." 

"  Still,  Mr.  Anthony  is  a  great  man." 

"  He  would  tell  you,  Prince  Sindhu,  that  he  alone 
is  great  who  reflects  the  greatness,  the  wisdom,  the 
love  of  God." 

"  I  will  free  these  men,  Miss  Raymond,  if  you  ask 
it?" 


386        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  You  should  free  them  because  it  is  right,  Prince 
Sindhu." 

He  closed  his  eyes  for  several  minutes.  Then  open- 
ing them  he  asked :  "  Do  you  know  why  these  men 
tried  to  kill  Mr.  Anthony  and  why  they  abducted 
you?" 

"  Yes,  I  think  I  do ;   but  they  had  a  wrong  idea." 

"  As  regards  Mr.  Anthony,  possibly  so,  but  not  as 
regards  yourself.  They  abducted  you  to  prevent  me 
from  asking  you  to  be  my  wife." 

"  No,"  corrected  Elizabeth,  "  to  prevent  me  from 
marrying  you." 

"  But,  Miss  Raymond,  —  Mee  Mee,  you  will  marry 
me  when  I  ask  it,  and  I  am  asking  you  now,  although 
I  had  not  intended  to  do  so  until  I  was  well.  You  will 
marry  me,  heathen  though  you  think  me  ?  " 

Again  he  seized  her  hand  and  attempted  to  rise. 

"  You  must  not  excite  yourself,  Prince,  or  you  will 
be  a  long  time  getting  well ;  but  you  must  not  ask  me 
to  answer  your  question  now.  You  have  known  me 
less  than  a  month.  You  know  nothing  about  me,  and 
yet  you  seek  to  bind  yourself  to  me  for  life.  Your 
ways  are  not  my  ways.  Your  thoughts  are  not  my 
thoughts.  You  know  —  " 

"  I  know  but  one  thing,"  he  exclaimed,  impatiently 
interrupting  her,  "  and  that  is  that  I  love  you.  In 
the  Orient  we  love  soon,  or  love  not  at  all ;  but  I  can 
wait  for  your  answer,  if  you  will  only  say  that  you 
love  me.  You  do  love  me,  Elizabeth  ?  " 

She  was  sure  the  question  would  come.  She  had 
thought  it  over  for  days.  Yet  now  it  was  asked,  she 
found  herself  no  more  prepared  to  answer  it  than  the 


ELIZABETH    AND    SINDHU  38T 

first  time  she  had  considered  it.  She  admired  the 
man  and  she  trusted  him,  but  she  knew  that  in  him 
there  was  something  lacking.  He  failed  to  inspire 
within  her  that  holier  feeling  of  love  which  she  felt 
every  man  had  the  right  to  expect  from  the  woman  he 
made  his  wife.  Even  with  the  newer  and  clearer 
sense  of  life  and  love  that  had  come  to  her  in  the  past 
few  days,  she  was  unable  to  describe  to  her  own  satis- 
faction what  this  something  was  which  she  missed  in 
him.  All  this  flashed  through  her  mind  while  he  lay 
there  waiting  for  her  answer,  and  the  best  reply  she 
could  make  was : 

"  I  do  not  know." 

There  was  an  expression  of  wonderment  in  his  eyes 
as  he  interrogatively  repeated  her  words :  "  You  do 
not  know  ?  " 

"  No,  Prince  Sindhu,  I  do  not  know.  I  admire  you 
as  a  man.  I  respect  you  as  a  wise  ruler.  I  esteem 
you  as  a  friend,  and  I  love  you  as  a  brother,  whom  I 
would  so  gladly  see  turn  to  the  one  God.  I  am  pray- 
ing for  you,  and  I  am  trying  to  know  that  you  will 
be  led  into  the  light.  I  would  make  many  sacrifice* 
for  you,  but  something  is  lacking  to  make  me  love 
you  as  I  feel  a  wife  should  love  a  husband." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  my  religion !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  I 
will  even  give  up  my  religion  and  become  a  Christian, 
if  it  will  help  you  to  love  me." 

"  Men  do  not  become  Christians  from  such  mo- 
tives, Prince  Sindhu.  If  you  were  to  give  up,  or  try 
to  give  up  your  beliefs  just  to  win  me,  I  should 
despise  you." 

Sindhu  again  closed  his  eyes  and  uttered  a  faint 


388        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

groan,  while  his  face  became  drawn  with  pain.  In  an 
instant  Elizabeth  forgot  everything  but  his  suffer- 
ing, and  leaning  over  him  asked :  "  Where  is  the 
pain?" 

"  In  my  heart  as  well  as  in  my  wound,"  he  replied 
bitterly.  "  I  should  have  known  better." 

"  Would  you  not  like  me  to  help  you  ?  "  she  asked, 
ignoring  the  bitterness  in  his  speech.  "  Would  you 
not  like  me  to  pray  for  you?  " 

"  Will  you  ?  "  he  asked,  and  the  bitterness  had  left 
his  voice. 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to." 

"  Are  your  prayers  also  healing  prayers?  " 

"  I  hope  so,"  was  her  earnest  reply. 

"  If  your  God  can  heal  me  of  my  wounds,  the  one 
in  my  breast  and  the  greater  one  in  my  heart,  I  think 
that  I  might  believe  in  Him." 

Again  he  closed  his  eyes  while  a  spasm  of  pain 
passed  over  his  face.  Elizabeth  seated  herself  by  his 
bedside  and  bowed  her  head  in  prayer  —  realizing, 
as  best  she  could,  the  perfect  man  in  God's  image  and 
likeness,  against  whom  the  seeming  power  of  evil  could 
in  no  wise  prevail.  For  a  long  time  she  sat  thus. 
Several  times  Sindhu  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  at 
her,  and  as  he  looked  a  kindlier  feeling  took  posses- 
sion of  him,  and  he  forgot  his  pain  in  the  contempla- 
tion of  the  act  of  leniency  which  Paul  and  Elizabeth 
had  urged  him  to  perform.  He  did  not  know  that  he 
had  lost  himself  in  sleep,  even  for  a  moment,  but 
when  he  again  opened  his  eyes  Elizabeth  was  leaning 
over  him. 

As  their  eyes  met,  he  smiled  at  her  with  a  different 


ELIZABETH    AND    SINDHU  38» 

expression  from  any  which  she  had  ever  seen  upon  his 
face.  Reaching  over  and  taking  her  hand,  he  said: 
"  Tell  my  sister  to  give  orders  to  liberate  the  con- 
spirators." 


CHAPTER    XXVI 

THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME 

A  WEEK  had  elapsed  —  the  week  allowed  by  Major 
O'Keefe  for  Prince  Sindhu  to  recover  sufficiently  to 
be  apprised  of  the  doings  of  Paul  Anthony.  Thanks 
to  the  good  work  of  Elizabeth  and  the  nursing  of 
Sofia,  he  had  experienced  no  more  sinking  spells,  and 
was  now  able  to  be  up  and  about  his  apartments. 

Contrary  to  the  prediction  of  the  surgeon,  Mr. 
Lombard  had  suffered  no  relapse;  neither  had  an 
abscess  formed,  and  each  night  he  and  the  others  met 
in  Paul's  room  to  study.  These  goings  and  comings 
had  been  noted  by  Elder  Meredith,  and  it  had  been 
observed  that  on  several  occasions  Paul  had  been  vis- 
ited by  Sofia  and  Elizabeth.  One  evening,  Elder 
Meredith  had  also  reported  to  the  major  that  he  had 
seen  Nora  coming  out  of  Paul's  room.  The  major 
would  hardly  believe  it ;  but  when,  on  the  succeeding 
night,  he  saw  her  leaving  with  Captain  Ormonde,  he 
was  completely  at  a  loss  to  understand.  When  he 
asked  her  the  occasion  of  her  visit,  she  had  refused  to 
tell  him,  unless  he  promised  to  break  his  pact  with 
Elder  Meredith.  After  a  somewhat  stormy  interview, 
he  left  her  in  anger,  declaring  that  she,  too,  was  hyp- 
motized.  Then  he  decided  that  it  was  time  to  act,  and 

390 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      391 

started  for  Elder  Meredith,  having  determined  that 
they  would  go  at  once  and  apprise  Prince  Sindhu  of 
their  discoveries.  Upon  arriving  at  the  apartments 
of  the  missionaries,  he  found  everything  in  commo- 
tion over  the  serious  and  somewhat  sudden  illness  of 
Reverend  Johnson. 

Ever  since  the  abduction  of  his  wife,  Mr.  Johnson 
had  been  ailing.  The  twenty-four  hours  of  suspense 
had  so  affected  his  nervous  system,  that,  even  after 
his  wife's  return,  he  had  not  seemed  to  recover.  For 
a  couple  of  days  he  paid  little  attention  to  his  ailment, 
thinking  it  would  pass  away,  but  when  he  continued 
to  grow  worse  instead  of  better,  he  decided  to  place 
himself  under  the  doctor's  care. 

"  Why  do  you  not  have  a  talk  with  Mr.  Anthony?  " 
his  wife  had  asked. 

Instead  of  replying,  he  had  looked  at  her  with  such 
an  expression  of  surprise  that  for  a  moment  she  was 
nonplussed.  But,  although  timid  in  most  instances, 
Mrs.  Johnson  was  not  easily  abashed  once  she  had 
made  up  her  mind. 

"  You  need  not  look  at  me  like  that,"  she  said. 
"  You  know  what  he  did  for  the  lame  boy  and  what 
he  did  for  old  Mr.  Toung-lay,  and  it  is  much  more 
consistent  for  Christians  to  be  healed  by  prayers  than 
by  drugs." 

"  Not  such  prayers  as  Mr.  Anthony's ! "  he  ex- 
claimed. "  I  feel  satisfied  that  his  work  is  nothing 
but  hypnotism." 

"  Is  that  any  worse  than  morphine,  David?  Jesus 
did  not  use  either." 

He  looked  at  her  indignantly 


392        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  If  you  do  not  like  Mr.  Anthony's  prayers,"  con- 
tinued Mrs.  Johnson,  "  let  Elizabeth  pray  for  you. 
Her  faith,  or  understanding,  or  whatever  you  are  a 
mind  to  call  it,  was  sufficient  to  cure  my  sore  throat 
on  the  mountain."  Then  after  a  moment's  pause: 
"  Or  perhaps  you  have  faith  enough  to  cure  your- 
self." 

"  I  am  sure  I  have  not ! "  was  his  emphatic  reply. 
"  Nor  do  I  think  any  one  else  has.  I  am  going  to  see 
Major  O'Keefe." 

And  he  did.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  was  in 
Burma  for  the  sole  purpose  of  converting  the  Bur- 
mese to  a  belief  in  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  in- 
duce them  to  entrust  their  immortal  souls  to  the 
promises  of  the  Bible,  he  had  not  himself  sufficient 
faith  in  the  truths  of  what  he  was  teaching  and 
preaching  to  trust  even  so  insignificant  a  thing  as 
a  case  of  nerves  to  the  healing  power  of  the  Word. 

Major  O'Keefe  gave  him  a  prescription  because  he 
demanded  it,  but  told  him  that  all  he  needed  was  to 
quit  worrying  about  himself. 

"  There  is  nothing  the  matter  with  you,  man  dear, 
but  your  nerves,"  the  surgeon  had  told  him.  "  If  1 
could  only  cut  them  out  that  would  be  the  end  of  it, 
but  I  can't,  so  you  just  keep  quiet  and  you'll  be  all 
right." 

But  when  Major  O'Keefe  reached  the  missionaries' 
quarters  this  afternoon  he  found  that  Mr.  Johnson, 
instead  of  being  all  right,  had  become  suddenly  worse 
and  had  sent  for  Elder  Meredith.  The  surgeon 
hastened  to  the  sick  man's  bedside  and  found  him  in 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      393 

terrible  agony.    A  hasty  diagnosis  disclosed  an  acute 
attack  of  appendicitis. 

"  It's  developed  into  a  bad  case,"  said  Major 
O'Keefe.  "  Sure,  the  only  cure  is  an  operation,  but 
I  suppose  you'll  not  submit  to  that  until  everything 
else  has  failed." 

Elizabeth,  too,  had  heard  of  Mr.  Johnson's  sudden 
illness  and  had  hurried  to  his  bedside.  At  the  word 
appendicitis  she  was  seized  with  a  nameless  fear.  In 
a  moment  her  thoughts  went  back  to  the  time  when 
another  surgeon  had  pronounced  a  similar  sentence 
upon  George  Andrews  and  proceeded  to  execute  it. 

"  Oh,  do  not  let  him  perform  an  operation !  "  she 
exclaimed  to  Mrs.  Johnson ;  "  there  must  be  some 
other  way." 

"  Doctor  O'Keefe  says  not." 

"  But  doctors  often  disagree.  It  was  only  a  few 
months  ago  that  I  heard  an  old  and  learned  physician 
say  that  he  would  never  perform  an  operation  for 
appendicitis.  He  declared  that  if  a  person  could  get 
well  with  an  operation,  he  could  get  well  without  it. 
His  simple  prescription  was  turpentine,  with  which 
he  declared  that  he  had  cured  many  cases." 

Surgeon  O'Keefe  laughed  when  he  heard  what  she 
had  said. 

"  Nonsense !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  If  the  operation  is 
performed  soon  enough,  there  is  comparatively  little 
danger,  but  if  blood  poison  once  sets  in  there  is  no 
hope." 

"  Why  do  you  not  ask  Mr.  Anthony  to  help  him?  M 
suggested  Elizabeth. 


"  Because,"  replied  Mrs.  Johnson,  "  neither  he  nor 
Elder  Meredith  will  hear  of  it." 

"  What  has  Elder  Meredith  to  say  about  it?  " 

"  Nothing.  But  David  is  largely  influenced  by 
what  he  says.  And,  besides,  he  has  faith  in  Major 
O'Keefe  and  none  in  Mr.  Anthony." 

"  Nor  in  God ! "  said  Elizabeth  as  she  turned 
sadly  away. 

An  hour  later  Mr.  Johnson  was  so  much  worse, 
that  it  was  very  evident  that,  unless  heroic  treatment 
of  some  sort  were  resorted  to,  he  would  pass  away. 
Again  his  wife  besought  him  with  tears  in  her  eyes 
to  let  her  call  in  Paul,  but  he  would  not. 

"  I  am  certain  that  my  only  hope  lies  in  an  opera- 
tion !  "  he  declared  between  the  spasms  of  pain. 

"  And  the  sooner  it  is  performed  the  better ! " 
argued  Elder  Meredith.  "  It  will  take  something 
more  than  hypnotism  to  cure  this." 

"  But  not  more  than  the  power  of  God ! "  ex- 
claimed Elizabeth. 

"  Yes,  more  than  the  power  of  God !  "  ej  aculated 
Major  O'Keefe,  "  unless  He  uses  His  power  through 
the  knowledge  of  the  surgeon." 

And  so  the  advice  of  the  surgeon  —  given  with  an 
honest  and  conscientious  desire  to  save  the  life  which 
God  gave  and  which  He  alone  could  create  and  sus- 
tain ;  advice  given  with  the  best  understanding  the 
surgeon  had  —  prevailed,  and  an  operation  was  de- 
termined upon.  It  was  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
when  it  was  performed,  and  after  it  was  over  Sur- 
geon O'Keefe  declared  it  to  be  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful he  had  ever  conducted. 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      395 

"Will  he  live,  Doctor?"  asked  Mrs.  Johnson 
through  her  tears,  as  she  followed  the  doctor  outside 
the  door. 

"  I  cannot  tell  before  morning,  but  his  chances  are 
much  better.  It  is  one  of  the  most  successful  opera- 
tions I  ever  conducted." 

"  But  it  will  not  be  successful  if  he  dies  ?  " 

Major  O'Keefe  looked  up  in  surprise  at  her  ig- 
norance. "  The  operation  has  been  successfully  per- 
formed, madam,"  he  declared  with  dignity,  "  even 
though  blood  poison  should  now  set  in  and  he  should 
not  recover." 

"  Then  what  was  the  use  of  the  operation?  " 

Major  O'Keefe  cleared  his  throat  pompously. 
"  Mind,  I  don't  say  he  will  not  recover.  I  simply  say 
that  the  operation,  as  an  operation,  has  been  suc- 
cessful whether  he  now  lives  or  dies.  I  found  what 
I  expected.  The  appendix  has  been  removed  and  the 
pus  cleaned  out.  If  some  other  complication  sets  in, 
that  will  be  another  question." 

"  Not  to  me ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Johnson,  and  her 
eyes  snapped  through  her  tears.  "  Unless  he  gets 
well,  the  operation  was  not  a  success." 

The  major  was  about  to  reply,  but  TV  as  forestalled 
by  Elder  Meredith. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Johnson,"  he  said,  "  the  doctor 
means  he  has  taken  away  the  diseased  parts  and 
nature  must  now  do  the  rest.  Your  husband  is  now 
in  God's  hands." 

"  And  so  he  was  before,  Elder  Meredith.  And  if 
you  and  I  had  the  faith  we  should  have,  we  would  not 
have  needed  the  surgeon  at  all." 


Elder  Meredith  held  up  his  hands  deprecatingly, 
but  Mrs.  Johnson  did  not  stop  longer,  and  passed 
quickly  inside,  where  a  nurse  was  in  attendance  upon 
her  husband." 

"  That's  the  effect  of  this  man  Anthony's  teach- 
ings," said  Major  O'Keefe. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  elder,  "  and  we  must  put  a 
stop  to  it.  I  think  the  time  is  quite  ripe." 

When  the  morning  came  Mr.  Johnson  was  worse. 
The  thing  greatly  feared  had  come  upon  him,  and 
blood  poisoning  had  set  in.  Elizabeth  and  Mrs. 
Johnson  met  the  surgeon  as  he  came  out  of  the  room. 

"  How  is  he  this  morning,  Doctor?  "  Elizabeth 
asked. 

"  Worse ! " 

"  Much  worse?  "   asked  Mrs.  Johnson. 

Major  O'Keefe's  face  became  softer  than  it  usually 
was,  as  he  replied :  "  I  hate  to  tell  you,  Mrs.  John- 
son, but  he  cannot  possibly  recover.  Had  we  oper- 
ated sooner,  we  might  have  cured  him,  but  blood 
poison  has  now  set  in  and  it  is  only  a  question  of 
hours." 

Mrs.  Johnson  sank  down  upon  the  divan  and  buried 
her  face  in  her  hands,  as  Elder  Meredith  came  in. 
He  crossed  quickly  to  her  side,  saying :  "  '  The  Lord 
giveth  and  the  Lord  taketh  away;  blessed  be  the 
name  of  the  Lord.'  " 

"  That's  poor  comfort,  Elder !  Poor  comfort !  " 
she  moaned. 

"  It  may  be !  It  may  be !  But  It  is  God's  will, 
and  it  is  not  for  us  *<*  question." 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      397 

"  How  long  do  you  think  that  he  can  live,  Major?  " 
asked  Elizabeth. 

"  Possibly  two  hours.     Possibly  six ;    not  longer." 

It  was  the  same  reply  that  had  been  given  her  two 
years  before,  when  she  had  been  told  that  it  was  God's 
will  to  take  George  Andrews  to  Himself.  Then  she 
had  believed  it  and  was  without  hope.  Now  she  was 
full  of  hope.  Kneeling  beside  the  heart-broken  wife, 
she  said: 

"  Do  not  weep,  dear.  While  there  is  life  there  is 
hope.  Remember  the  lame  boy.  Remember  the  morn- 
ing on  the  mountain.  Go  to  your  husband.  I  will 
join  you  presently." 

Mrs.  Johnson  did  as  she  was  bid.  Then  Elizabeth 
arose,  and  stood  facing  Elder  Meredith  and  Surgeon 
O'Keefe,  with  a  look  of  calm  determination. 

"  Gentlemen,"  she  said,  "  you  have  both  of  you 
done  all  that  you  can  for  Mr.  Johnson.  You,  Major, 
have  gone  to  the  limit  of  medical  and  surgical  skill, 
and  have  said  he  must  die.  You,  Elder,  have  pro- 
nounced his  doom  as  coming  from  God,  who,  as  you 
think,  gives  life  only  to  take  it.  I  know  better.  God 
is  the  author  of  life,  not  of  death.  The  only  man 
in  Annakan,  who  has  a  clear  enough  understanding 
of  the  great  truth  of  being  to  demonstrate  this  truth, 
is  Mr.  Anthony.  I  am  going  to  give  him  the  case, 
and  Mrs.  Johnson  and  her  husband  will  so  wish  it." 

"  Sure,  you  might  as  well,"  burst  out  the  major; 
"  he'll  die  anyway,  and  if  your  prayers  will  help  him 
to  die  happy,  they'll  do  some  good  at  least.  Come, 
Elder,  let's  go  and  have  our  little  talk  with  Prince 
Sindhu." 


398        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

He  led  the  way  from  the  room.  Elder  Meredith 
followed,  but  in  the  door  he  stopped  and  turned : 

"  Elizabeth,"  he  said,  "  I  feel  that  you  are  making 
a  grave  mistake.  This  man  Anthony  has  deluded  you 
with  his  false  philosophy  until  you  are  turning  away 
from  God.  I  have  no  ill  feeling  in  the  matter,  but  I 
am  sure  that  you  are  being  unduly  influenced.  In 
this  particular  case  it  will  make  little  difference,  as 
Mr.  Johnson  cannot  live;  nevertheless,  why  not  let 
him  die  at  peace  with  God?  " 

"  Because,"  replied  Elizabeth  with  emphasis,  "  I 
think  it  more  Christ-like  to  help  him  live  at  peace 
with  God." 

Elder  Meredith  raised  his  hands  and  shook  his 
head  sorrowfully  as  he  passed  out  of  the  room,  ex- 
claiming :  "  Poor  girl !  Poor  deluded  girl !  " 

Outside,  Major  O'Keefe  was  waiting  impatiently. 
"  Come !  "  exclaimed  the  Elder ;  "  come,  let  us  hasten 
to  Prince  Sindhu  and  lay  the  facts  before  him  ere 
this  man  can  do  any  further  mischief.  The  hyp- 
notic control  he  has  gained  over  these  poor,  weak 
women  is  terrible !  Terrible !  " 

Left  alone,  Elizabeth  passed  quickly  into  the  cham- 
ber where  Mr.  Johnson  lay.  As  she  entered,  the  wife 
was  bending  over  the  sick  man  gently  smoothing  his 
forehead.  How  the  scene  of  two  years  ago  flashed 
upon  her.  She  could  see  herself  in  Mrs.  Johnson's 
place,  and  she  knew  the  despair  that  filled  the  little 
woman's  soul.  As  she  approached  the  bed,  Mr. 
Johnson  murmured  faintly :  "  Not  my  will,  but  thine 
be  done." 

"  And  it  is  God's  will  that  His  children  should  live 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      399 

and  be  happy!  Not  suffer  and  die!"  exclaimed 
Elizabeth  softly.  "  It  is  God's  will  that  the  spirit, 
not  the  flesh,  should  be  sovereign  in  us.  God  is 
Spirit,  Life,  Truth,  Love,  and  man,  made  in  God's 
onage  and  likeness,  reflects  this  Spirit,  —  this  Life. 
In  the  infinite,  eternal  and  omnipotent  Mind  there 
is  no  death.  I  bid  you  hope !  " 

The  sick  man  looked  at  her  with  eager,  questioning 
eyes :  "  I  know  that  God  is  able  to  heal  me,"  he  mur- 
mured; "  but  do  you  think  that  He  will?  Oh,  Miss 
Raymond,  have  you  the  faith?  Has  Mr.  Anthony 
the  faith?" 

"Fear  not!"  said  Elizabeth.  "Only  believe! 
God's  promises  are  eternal  and  He  hath  said :  *  I  will 
heal  thee  of  thy  wounds.'  With  God  all  things  are 
possible.  Mrs.  Johnson,  please  go  and  tell  Mr.  An- 
thony that  your  husband  wants  his  prayers ;  his  help." 

"  Do  you  think  that  he  will  come  after  the  way 
we  have  treated  him  ?  "  asked  the  little  wife. 

"  I  know  he  will !  " 

While  Mrs.  Johnson  was  out,  Elizabeth  bowed  her 
head  in  prayer,  and,  as  best  she  was  able,  tried  to 
realize  the  truth,  —  the  truth  of  man's  eternal  rela- 
tion to  the  one  God  —  the  one  Mind  —  divine  Prin- 
ciple, Love. 

Presently  Mrs.  Johnson  returned,  accompanied  by 
Paul.  As  he  leaned  over  the  sick  man,  his  face 
beamed  with  a  smile  of  such  loving  sympathy,  and  at 
the  same  time  with  an  expression  of  such  perfect  con- 
fidence, that  the  smile  and  look  were  reflected  upon 
Mr.  Johnson's  face. 

"  It  is  very  good  of  you  to  come,  Mr.  Anthony," 


400        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

he  said,  and  the  women  noted  that  his  voice  seemed 
stronger.  "  I  feel  that  I  have  been  unjust  to  you; 
but  I  am  sure  you  understand." 

"  It  was  not  you  who  misjudged  me,  Mr.  John- 
son ;  it  was  error,  that  old  serpent  called  devil  or  evil. 
It  is  the  same  error  that  is  holding  you  here  in  bed, 
but  we  will  know  the  truth,  which  shall  free  us  from 
its  false  belief." 

"  And  do  you  think  that  God  will  forgive  me 
and  heal  me  ?  " 

His  eyes  had  changed  their  expression  from  hope- 
lessness to  hope,  from  fearful  resignation  to  doubtful 
expectancy,  which  gave  place  to  one  of  growing  con- 
fidence and  faith,  as  Paul  replied: 

"  Fear  not !  Believe  only  in  God  and  His  saving 
Christ,  and  you  shall  be  made  whole.  Remember  all 
the  promises  of  Jesus  and  fear  not." 

Elizabeth  took  Mrs.  Johnson  by  the  arm  and  gen- 
tly drew  her  from  the  room,  closing  the  door  behind 
them. 

Seating  himself  at  the  table,  Paul  opened  his  Bible 
to  the  ninety-first  psa^  and  read :  "  *  He  that  dwell- 
eth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High,  shall  abide 
under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.' 

"  Let  us  realize  for  a  few  minutes,"  he  said,  "  that 
'  he  that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most 
High '  is  he  who  dwelleth  in  Spirit,  not  matter ;  and 
Lecause  you  have  made  Spirit  your  habitation,  no 
evil  —  no  error  or  sickness  —  can  befall  you." 

As  Mr.  Johnson  listened  to  this  loving  explanation, 
his  faith  grew  stronger  through  the  first  faint  under- 
standing of  the  real  meaning  of  this  wonderful  prom- 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      401 

ise,  made  through  the  words  of  the  Psalmist.  It 
became  plain  to  him  that  God  not  only  could,  but 
would,  restore  him  to  health  and  happiness  through 
the  power  of  His  Word.  A  peaceful  smile  spread 
itself  over  his  face  as  Paul  bowed  his  head  in  silent 
prayer,  —  the  prayer  of  loving  trust  and  under- 
standing, that  all  things  are  possible  to  God,  — 
bowed  his  head  and  prayed  with  a  spiritual  conscious- 
ness of  that  Father,  Mother,  God,  who  heareth  in 
secret  and  rewardeth  openly. 

While  Paul  thus  prayed,  Elder  Meredith  and 
Major  O'Keefe  were  busy  with  their  self-imposed 
mission  of  having  his  "  wickedness  "  exposed.  They 
hastened  to  Prince  Sindhu's  room,  where  they  found 
him  alone  and  restless  because  he  had  not  yet  re- 
ceived his  daily  visit  from  Elizabeth.  In  his  loneliness, 
he  was  glad  to  see  them,  and,  because  of  his  impa- 
tience, he  was  in  just  such  a  frame  of  mind  as  they 
could  have  wished.  As  soon  as  they  had  been  ad- 
mitted to  his  presence,  they  entered  at  once  upon  a 
detailed  account  of  the  charges  against  Paul,  — 
charges  which,  from  their  point  of  view,  seemed  grave 
and  of  sufficient  importance  to  warrant  immediate 
and  strenuous  action. 

Sindhu  listened  with  unfeigned  astonishment  and 
surprise  until  they  had  finished. 

"  What  you  tell  me,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  "  is  al- 
most beyond  belief.  There  are  some  portions  of 
your  story,  however,  which  coincide  so  closely  with 
the  facts  as  I  know  them  that  I  can  see  that  they 
wust  be  true;  but  I  can  also  well  understand  that 


402        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

either  of  us  may  have  been  mistaken  as  to  their  actual 
bearing  upon  the  case." 

"  Mistaken !  "  exclaimed  Elder  Meredith.  "  Mis- 
taken !  You  surely  do  not  intend  to  imply  that  we 
have  been  mistaken  as  regards  the  visits  of  the  young 
ladies  to  this  man's  apartments  night  after  night?  " 

"  No,  I  do  not  doubt  that,  for  I  myself  have  been 
surprised,  I  might  even  say  shocked,  by  a  personal 
knowledge  of  such  visits ;  but  when  I  came  to  under- 
stand their  object,  I  found  they  were  as  far  from 
all  evil  intent  as  my  own  visits." 

"  If  the  young  ladies  had  only  called  once  or  twice 
for  a  few  minutes,"  suggested  Elder  Meredith,  "  we 
might  be  able  to  explain  them,  but  they  have  visited 
his  room  night  after  night  and  remained  for  hours." 

"  True !  "  ejaculated  Major  O'Keefe.  "  And  what 
possible  excuse  could  my  daughter  have  for  visiting 
him  at  all?  " 

"Why  didn't  you  ask  her?"  inquired  Prince 
Sindhu. 

"  I  did,  and  she  told  me  it  was  none  of  my  busi- 
ness. She  must  be  hypnotized !  " 

Sindhu  smiled  grimly.  "  It  was  not  a  very  filial 
reply,  I  must  admit,  but  perhaps  you  were  not  diplo- 
matic?" 

"  Diplomatic  with  my  own  daughter?  I  should 
say  not !  But  never  before  has  she  defied  my  author- 
ity. If  she  were  not  under  some  evil  influence,  she 
would  not  do  so  now.  I  demand  that  this  man  be  sent 
away  where  he  can  do  no  more  harm." 

u  Quite  right,  Major!  Quite  right!"  exclaimed 
Elder  Meredith 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      403 

Slndhu  drew  himself  up  rigidly,  and  an  angry 
light  gleamed  in  his  eyes.  "  Gentlemen,"  he  said, 
"  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  recognizing  demands  from 
any  one,  much  less  in  a  matter  of  this  kind.  I  will 
admit  that  Mr.  Anthony  may  be  wrong  —  " 

"  Wrong !  "  almost  shouted  Elder  Meredith.  "  He 
is  the  personification  of  evil.  He  is  the  devil  himself." 

Sindhu's  eyes  flashed.  **  I  beg  of  you,  Elder 
Meredith,  that  you  will  control  yourself.  As  I  said, 
Mr.  Anthony  may  be  doing  some  wrong,  —  none  of 
us  are  perfect,  and  men  are  none  too  pure,  —  but  the 
works  that  I  have  seen  him  do  are  not  the  works  of 
the  devil,  as  you  call  it.  The  works  he  has  done 
for  my  family  have  been  good.  He  may  now  be 
using  the  influence  he  has  gained  for  an  evil  purpose, 
but  that  we  must  prove.  Where  is  he  now  ?  " 

"  Where  is  he  now?  "  snarled  the  Major.  "  He  is 
trying  to  hypnotize  a  dying  man  to  life." 

Prince  Sindhu  looked  at  him  in  wonder.  "  What 
de  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Johnson  is  dying,"  explained  Elder  Mere- 
dith, choosing  his  words  with  great  care.  '  The 
operation  performed  yesterday  did  not  succeed  in 
preventing  blood  poisoning,  and  Mr.  Johnson  is  dy- 
ing, —  he  may  be  dead !  " 

"  I  regret  to  hear  it,"  said  Prince  Sindhu.  "  I 
feared  the  operation  would  not  prove  successful." 

Major  O'Keefe  started  to  his  feet.  "  Sir,  I  would 
have  you  know  the  operation  was  successful ! "  he 
burst  out.  "  Perfectly  successful !  Blood  poisoning 
set  in  later." 

"  I  am  afraid,  Major,"  said  Sindhu,  sarcastically, 


404        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

"  that  you  would  have  a  hard  time  convincing  any 
one  of  this.  That  is,"  he  added  parenthetically, 
"  any  one  outside  of  the  medical  profession ;  but  that 
is  not  the  question  before  us." 

"  No,  it  is  not !  "  declared  Elder  Meredith,  with 
emphasis.  "  The  question  before  us  is,  whether  this 
man  is  to  be  allowed  to  parade  his  hypnotic  acts  as 
in  accordance  with  the  teachings  of  Christ,  thereby 
blaspheming  the  Almighty,  destroying  faith  in  God, 
and  debauching  our  daughters,  sisters  and  sweet- 
hearts." 

Sindhu  arose  excitedly  from  his  chair  and  walked 
the  floor  for  several  minutes  in  silence,  while  his  vis- 
itors exchanged  knowing  looks.  At  length  he  crossed 
to  a  small  table,  lighted  a  cheroot,  and,  turning  to 
Elder  Meredith,  said: 

"  Of  all  the  charges  that  you  make  against  this 
man,  Elder  Meredith,  I  am  interested  in  only  one. 
I  care  not  to  whom  he  attributes  his  power.  If  his 
works  to  you  seem  blasphemous  or  destroy  faith  in 
your  God,  I  care  not.  But  if  he  is  using  this  power 
to  lead  our  women  out  of  the  path  of  virtue,  he  shall 
be  punished.  He  shall  be  summoned  imme'diately, 
and  we  will  have  this  matter  settled  once  and  for  all !  " 

He  turned  to  touch  a  bell,  but  Elder  Meredith 
interposed :  "  Wait,  Prince  Sindhu !  Wait !  Such 
an  investigation  as  you  propose  will  come  to  naught. 
Let  us  wait  until  to-night.  Let  us  wait  until  one  or 
more  of  the  young  women  are  missing  from  their 
rooms,  and  then  let  us  go  to  his  apartments,  and 
there  accuse  him  of  his  perfidy,  and  confront  him 
with  the  witness  at  hand." 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      405 

**A  good  suggestion,  Elder!  A  good  sugges- 
tion! "  exclaimed  the  major. 

Sindhu  waited  several  minutes  before  replying, 
revolving  the  matter  in  his  mind.  "  Very  well,"  he 
finally  said.  "  It  shall  be  as  you  say.  Meet  me  here 
at  eight  o'clock.  In  the  meantime  I  shall  have  a 
talk  with  my  father." 

His  visitors  arose  to  depart.  "  Kindly  carry  my 
deepest  sympathy  to  Mrs.  Johnson,"  said  the  prince, 
*'  and  if  her  husband  dies  —  " 

"  He  will  die !  No  power  on  earth  can  prevent 
it!  "  said  the  Major  emphatically. 

"  Assure  her,  then,"  continued  Sindhu,  "  that  she 
shall  be  accorded  every  privilege  in  giving  her  hus- 
band a  Christian  burial,  although  she  does  look  upon 
this  as  a  heathen  land.  Do  not  hesitate  to  call  upon 
me  for  anything  necessary." 

The  visitors  withdrew,  and  Sindhu  threw  himself 
upon  a  couch,  where  he  lay  for  a  long  time  thinking. 
Could  it  be  possible  that  Paul  Anthony  was  the  hyp- 
ocrite these  men  would  have  him  believe?  Was  it  pos- 
sible that  the  things  which  he  had  done  were  for  an 
evil  purpose?  Did  he  heal  his  father  and  risk  his 
life  for  Sofia  without  any  demand  for  a  reward, 
solely  for  the  purposes  these  men  indicated?  He 
could  not  believe  it.  And  even  if  he  could  believe 
Paul  guilty,  could  he  believe  that  all  these  persons 
were  so  weak  as  to  come  under  his  hypnotic  influ- 
ence? Could  Paul  have  hypnotized  not  only  Sofia, 
Elizabeth  and  Nora,  but  Oo  Toung-lay,  Mr.  Lom- 
bard, Moung  Gouk  and  even  Moung  Kai  Yang  and 
his  followers?  Impossible!  The  idea  was  prepos- 


406        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

terous.  Nothing  but  some  power  greater  than  the 
mind  of  man  could  have  accomplished  these  miracles. 

The  intensity  of  his  thoughts  brought  Sindhu  to 
his  feet.  In  his  excitement  he  paced  up  and  down 
the  room,  puffing  at  his  cheroot.  Then  his  thoughts 
began  to  take  new  form. 

"  If  some  power  greater  than  the  mind  of  man 
has  accomplished  these  results,"  so  his  thoughts  ran, 
"  what  is  this  power?  I  have  heard  Mr.  Anthony 
declare  that  it  is  the  power  of  God,  but  what  is  this 
God?" 

Then  Sindhu  began  to  think  of  the  definitions  Paul 
had  given  him:  God  was  Life,  Truth,  Love,  Mind, 
Principle,  —  here  he  stopped.  "  That  is  it !  "  he  ex- 
claimed aloud.  "  Principle  —  divine  Principle !  Is 
there  then  really  a  Principle  involved  in  this  healing 
of  sickness  and  sin?"  For  heathen  though  Sindhu 
might  be,  he  recognized  the  actions  of  the  conspira- 
tors as  sin. 

He  sat  for  a  long  time  pondering  over  his  own 
questions,  and  his  reasoning  ran  something  like  this: 

"  If  there  is  a  Principle  involved,  what  is  this 
Principle?  Anthony  declares  it  is  Love.  It  does  not 
seem  to  be  the  kind  of  love  I  know.  He  says  that 
sickness  and  sin  are  errors,  and  that  Truth  destroys 
error.  Is  that  a  fact?  Yes,  I  can  see  it  is,  —  a 
scientific  fact.  If  God  is  Truth,  then  God  destroys 
error,  —  sin  and  sickness.  But  how?  God  is  Love; 
and  I  have  heard  Anthony  say  that  true  love  is  a 
reflection  of  God.  Is  it  possible  that  this  is  also  a 
scientific  fact?  It  must  be,  and  this  seems  to  ex- 
plain why  every  one  has  confidence  in  this  man. 


THE  tAS'r  ENEW  OVERCOME   40? 

However,  it  is  too  deep  for  me ! "  and  Sindhu  threw 
away  his  cheroot  and  picked  up  his  favorite  Sa- 
koontala. 

But  he  could  not  interest  himself.  He  threw  the 
book  aside  and  rang  his  bell.  He  would  summon  his 
father.  A  courtier  appeared. 

"  Tell  my  father  I  would  talk  with  him." 

The  courtier  turned  to  depart. 

"  Stay !  "  said  Sindhu.  "  Summon  the  Princess 
Sofia  instead." 

While  awaiting  his  sister,  he  paced  up  and  down 
the  floor.  All  thought  of  evil  respecting  her  had  left 
his  mind.  A  more  important  question  was  now  up- 
permost in  his  thoughts. 

Sofia  appeared  hastily  in  answer  to  his  summons. 
She  saw  at  once  that  Sindhu  was  much  excited. 

"  What  is  it,  brother  ?  "  she  asked,  with  manifest 
solicitude. 

He  ceased  his  restless  walking  and  eyed  her  in- 
tently for  a  minute ;  then  suddenly  asked :  "  Do  you 
believe  there  is  a  God  ?  " 

Her  heart  gave  a  great  bound.  She  felt  the  an- 
swer to  her  prayer,  and  for  a  brief  instant  she  closed 
her  eyes  in  thanksgiving.  He  mistook  her  action 
for  one  of  disapproval. 

"  Do  not  mistake  my  reason  for  asking,"  he  said. 
"  Do  not  think  that  I  have  turned  from  the  religion 
of  my  fathers.  I  am  interested,  nothing  more;  but 
I  wish  to  know  what  you  think  of  the  teachings  of 
this  man,  Anthony.  Therefore  I  ask  you  again :  Do 
you  believe  there  is  a  God?  " 

Sofia  drew  close  to  him  and,  placing  her  hand  on 


408        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

his  arm,  looked  earnestly  up  into  his  face :  "  Brothel^ 
I  know  there  is  a  God !  " 

It  was  Sindhu's  turn  to  be  surprised.  He  had  not 
expected  such  an  answer. 

"  You  know  there  is?    How  do  you  know?  " 

"  For  the  same  reason  that  I  know  I  have  per- 
sonal identity.  For  the  same  reason  that  I  am  con- 
scious of  being.  I  know  that  I  am,  because  God  is. 
He  is  the  Supreme  Being.  I  reflect  that  Being, — 
that  Life,  that  Love  which  is  God ! " 

Sindhu  could  scarcely  credit  his  ears.  He  took 
her  by  the  shoulders  and  held  her  off  at  arm's  length. 
"  You  are  in  the  full  possession  of  your  senses,  are 
you  not  ?  You  are  not  hypnotized  ?  "  he  asked. 

Sofia  laughed  merrily.  "  Look  into  my  eyes ;  who 
is  it  that  you  see?  Is  it  your  sister  or  another?  " 

She  laughed  for  very  joy,  and  her  happiness  was 
contagious.  He  smiled  broadly  as  he  replied :  "  It 
is  my  sister ;  but  still  I  do  not  seem  to  know  her." 

"  Because  I  have  found  a  great  happiness ! "  she 
exclaimed. 

A  sudden  light  dawned  upon  Sindhu.  "  He  has 
asked  you  to  be  his  wife  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  No,  he  has  not !  But  I  have  found  the  real  mean- 
ing of  love.  I  have  found  what  it  means  to  reflect 
the  one  Mind.  I  have  found  God !  " 

There  was  a  look  of  rapture  upon  the  girl's  face 
such  as  he  had  never  seen  before.  Her  countenance 
was  illumined,  and,  without  replying  to  her  words, 
Sindhu  sank  into  his  seat,  exclaiming  under  his 
breath : 

"  If  this  is  hypnotism,  would  that  I  were  hypno- 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      409 

tized !  "  Aloud  he  said :  "  What  does  it  mean  to 
know  God?  " 

"  It  means  to  learn  the  truth  about  oneself ;  to 
recognize  our  dominion  over  all  flesh;  to  know  that 
we  are  spiritual  and  not  material  beings.  Oh, 
brother,  I  would  that  you,  too,  might  know  Him,  — 
might  know  God  and  His  Christ ! " 

"  Is  it  this  knowledge  that  enables  Mr.  Anthony 
to  do  these  wonderful  works  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sindhu,  and  why  do  you  not  let  Paul  ex- 
pjain  it  all  to  you?  Why  do  you  not  go  to  see  him? 
Let  us  go  to  see  him  to-night." 

"Is  this  what  you  go  to  see  Paul  about?"  and 
Sindhu  emphasized  the  name,  but  she  failed  to  notice 
the  emphasis. 

"  Indeed,  yes.     Will  you  go?  " 

"  Not  to-night,  sister.  I  have  an  engagement. 
Some  other  night,  perhaps,  for  I  do  wish  to  learn 
more  about  this  great  truth.  But  tell  me,  when  may 
I  expect  to  call  Paul  brother  ?  " 

"I  cannot  tell!" 

"  But  sometime,  sister?  " 

Her  cheeks  tinged  with  red.  "  Yes,  brother,  some- 
time. Surely  sometime." 

"  You  have  made  my  heart  lighter  than  for  days, 
Sofia;  but  now  leave  me,  for  I  have  a  disagreeable 
task  to  perform,  and  I  must  prepare  myself  for  it." 

As  soon  as  he  was  again  alone,  Sindhu  lighted 
another  cheroot  and  sat  down  to  pass  the  time  until 
eight  o'clock.  He  was  now  satisfied  in  his  own  mind 
that  Sofia's  calls,  as  well  as  Elizabeth's,  were  solely 
for  the  purpose  she  stated.  Yet,  if  he  should  find 


lio       PAUL   ANTHONY,   CHRISTIAN 

either  of  them  with  Paul  to-night,  how  would  he  be 
able  to  prove  his  position  to  Elder  Meredith  and 
Major  O'Keefe?  However,  he  had  made  the  appoint- 
ment and  he  proposed  to  keep  it,  trusting  that  the 
same  power  that  had  enabled  Paul  to  do  so  many 
works  would  enable  him  to  prove  his  integrity  in  this 
case. 

Eight  o'clock  finally  came,  and  with  it  the  clergy- 
man and  physician.  They  were  all  excitement  with 
the  news  which  they  had  to  impart.  On  the  way  down 
the  hall  they  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  Elizabeth  at 
Paul's  door.  Now  was  the  time  to  go  and  confront 
him  with  his  villainy. 

Sindhu's  cheek  blanched  at  the  information  and 
his  heart  sank  in  his  breast.  He  could  feel  a  cold 
perspiration  breaking  out  all  over  his  body,  and  for 
a  moment  he  had  a  mind  to  refuse  to  carry  out  his 
agreement.  He  felt,  however,  that  this  would  not 
do.  But  under  one  pretext  and  another  he  caused 
several  moments'  delay,  in  the  hope  that  Elizabeth 
would  have  ended  her  mission  and  departed.  He 
could  see  how  unjust  was  the  whole  proceeding,  and 
yet,  for  the  life  of  him,  he  could  not  refuse  to  make 
his  word  good. 

If  Sindhu  were  racked  with  a  feeling  of  injustice, 
there  was  no  such  thought  in  the  minds  of  his  com- 
panions. They  were  impatient  to  bring  about  Paul's 
undoing;  impatient  for  their  hour  of  triumph. 
Hastily  and  quietly,  therefore,  the  trio  crossed  the 
great  rotunda  and  proceeded  down  the  long  hall  to 
Paul's  apartments.  As  they  paused  at  **>e  door,  they 
heard  the  faint  sound  of  voices. 


THE   LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      411 

"  You  see  we  were  quite  right,  Prince  Sindhu ! " 
whispered  Elder  Meredith.  "  We  are  just  in  time. 
Be  firm ! " 

"  Do  not  doubt,  Elder  Meredith,  that  I  shall  do 
what  is  right  and  just,"  was  Sindhu's  rejoinder,  as 
he  knocked  on  the  door. 

The  sound  of  voices  ceased,  there  was  the  noise  of 
persons  moving  about  within,  and  then  the  door  was 
opened  by  Dhuleep  Mingh,  who  flung  it  wide  as  he 
recognized  the  visitors.  The  sight  that  met  their 
eyes  caused  them  to  utter  an  exclamation  of  the 
greatest  surprise,  and  the  faces  of  Elder  Meredith 
and  Major  O'Keefe  blanched. 

There,  seated  at  the  table,  were  Elizabeth  and 
Paul,  —  the  former  with  the  Bible  before  her,  and  the 
latter  with  a  copy  of  Science  and  Health  in  his  hand, 
—  while  about  the  room  were  seated  Sofia,  Oo  Toung- 
lay,  Nora,  Captain  Ormonde,  Mr.  Lombard,  Moung 
Gouk,  Captain  Shway  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson,  — 
the  reverend  gentleman  looking  much  less  like  a  corpse 
than  either  Major  O'Keefe  or  Elder  Meredith. 

"  What  does  it  all  mean  ?  "  gasped  Elder  Mere* 
dith.  "  What  does  it  all  mean,  Prince  Sindhu  ?  Have 
you  been  hypnotized  into  betraying  our  plans,  or  are 
you  simply  making  sport  of  us?  " 

"  Elder  Meredith,"  replied  Sindhu  with  much 
warmth,  "  I  have  listened  to  your  implied  insults  for 
the  last  time.  Hereafter  our  paths  lie  apart.  I  know 
no  more  of  the  occasion  of  this  gathering  than  you. 
But  I  can  see  that  its  purpose  is  good.  If  I  needed 
any  other  evidence  of  this  than  my  own  good  judg- 
ment, the  presence  of  Mr.  Johnson,  whom  I  supposed 


412        PAUL    ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

from  your  statement,  and  that  of  Doctor  O'Keefq, 
was  certainly  dead  —  " 

"  And  who  certainly  will  be  before  morning !  "  in- 
terrupted the  major. 

"  I  say  if  I  needed  any  other  evidence,"  continued 
Piince  Sindhu  without  noticing  the  interruption, 
"  the  presence  and  condition  of  Mr.  Johnson  would 
furnish  it." 

Then  turning  to  Paul  —  "  Mr.  Anthony,  I  have  to 
apologize  to  you  for  this  most  unwarranted  and  un- 
gentlemanly  intrusion.  With  your  kind  permission 
we  will  withdraw." 

Paul  had  risen  while  Sindhu  was  speaking.  "  I 
assure  you,  Prince  Sindhu,  that  no  apology  is  needed. 
In  this  world  good  is  too  frequently  the  subject  of 
evil  report  to  cause  any  wonderment,  but  we  shall  be 
pleased  if  both  you  and  your  friends  will  join  us  in 
our  study  of  the  Scriptures." 

"  Study  of  the  Scriptures,  indeed ! "  exclaimed 
Elder  Meredith  with  a  sneer  in  his  voice.  "  Perver- 
sion of  the  Scriptures,  you  mean  !  " 

The  sneer  brought  an  exclamation  of  disapproval 
from  nearly  every  one  present,  and  Sindhu  turned  as 
though  to  voice  the  general  sentiment.  Little  Mrs. 
Johnson,  however,  forestalled  him.  She  sprang  to  her 
feet  beside  her  husband,  and,  confronting  Elder  Mere- 
dith with  flashing  eyes,  exclaimed : 

"  I  have  listened  in  silence,  Elder  Meredith,  to  your 
unjust  criticisms  of  Mr.  Anthony,  but  I  can  remain 
silent  no  longer.  The  very  presence  of  my  husband, 
whom  you  and  Major  O'Keefe  had  given  over  to  the 
last  enemy,  should  so  fill  you  with  shame,  and  so  con- 


THE    LAST    ENEMY    OVERCOME      413" 

vict  you  of  your  own  unbelief,  that,  on  your  bended 
knees,  you  should  be  asking  God  to  lead  you  into  this 
great  light,  instead  of  sneering  at  those  who  have 
found  it." 

Elder  Meredith  attempted  to  reply,  but  Mrs.  John- 
son gave  him  no  opportunity. 

"  '  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them,'  said  the 
Master.  The  raising  of  my  husband  from  what  you 
had  decreed  was  to  be  his  death-bed,  and  the  other 
wonderful  works  you  have  witnessed  during  the  past 
three  weeks,  are  but  a  small  part  of  the  fruitage  of 
this  new,  old  religion  which  has  come,  as  in  the  days 
of  Jesus,  with  healing  in  its  teachings.  As  a  result 
of  these  fruits,  this  room  is  filled  with  seekers  after 
the  great  truths  of  the  Bible,  while,  during  the  weeks 
we  have  all  been  in  this  city,  the  four  of  us  have  not 
succeeded  in  making  one  convert  to  Christ.  You 
ought  to  see,  as  we  all  can  see,  that  words  without 
works  are  valueless  and  that  faith  without  works  is 
no  faith  at  all." 

"  Our  work  in  Burma  —  "  began  Elder  Meredith, 
but  again  Mrs.  Johnson  interrupted. 

"  Our  work  in  Burma  is  as  naught  to  this.  We 
have  wondered  why  this  new  religion  —  this  fad  as 
you  call  it  —  has  grown  with  such  rapidity.  We 
should  wonder  no  longer,  seeing  that  every  true 
Christian  Scientist  is  a  missionary,  proving  his  faith 
by  his  works;  that,  no  matter  how  important  his 
worldly  affairs  may  be,  he  appears  never  too  busy  to 
explain  and  demonstrate  the  truth  as  he  understands, 
it.  If  you  are  wise,  Elder  Meredith,  and  you,  too, 
Major  O'Keefe,  you  will  stay  and  learn  these  truths." 


414        PAUL   ANTHONY,    CHRISTIAN 

Mrs.  Johnson  resumed  her  seat  beside  her  husband 
For  a  moment  there  was  an  impressive  silence,  whirb 
was  finally  broken  by  Paul,  saying: 

"  We  shall  be  plep.sed,  gentlemen,  if  you  will  ac- 
cept Mrs.  Johnson's  invitation  and  join  us.  '  an, 
sure  that  it  is  not  for  us,  however,  to  judge  of  your 
position  regarding  the  teachings  of  the  Scriptures. 
Each  must  be  led  by  the  light  as  he  sees  it,  and  I  am 
sure  that  you,  Elder  Meredith,  are  acting  solely  from 
the  best  of  motives.  I  repeat,  therefore,  that  we 
shall  be  pleased  to  have  you  join  us  in  our  study." 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  invitation,  Mr.  Anthony," 
replied  Elder  Meredith  with  severe  courtesy,  "  but  I 
am  quite  satisfied  with  my  religion,  and  my  under- 
standing of  God.  Come,  Major,  let  us  go.  Mr. 
Johnson,  I  will  see  you  in  the  morning." 

"  Provided  he  is  not  dead,"  said  the  major. 

"  And  if  I  should  be,"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  rising  to 
his  feet  I  shall  have  lived  twenty-four  hours  longer 
than  you  gave  me.  But  I  am  getting  stronger  every 
minute  and  I  feel  that  I  shall  live  long  enough  to 
bear  testimony  to  the  healing  power  of  God  through 
Christ,  who  is  indeed  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life, 
to  those  who  come  to  Him  with  faith,  even  as  a  grain 
of  mustard  seed,  —  the  faith  of  understanding." 

Elder  Meredith  had  already  passed  out  of  hearing 
down  the  hall  as  Mr.  Johnson  resumed  his  seat. 
Major  O'Keefe  stood  irresolute,  looking  toward  his 
daughter. 

"  Nora,  I'll  see  you  later.  Prince  Sindhu,  will  you 
come  with  us  or  are  you  going  to  stay  here  ?  " 

Sindhu  looked  first  at  one  and  then  at  another «  at 


Paul  and  then  at  Sofia,  in  whose  eyes  he  noted  a  lov- 
ing appeal.  At  length  his  gaze  rested  upon  Mr. 
Johnson  and  the  happy  face  of  his  little  wife,  and  he 
said  slowly: 

"  There  seems  to  be  health  and  happiness  here. 
I  think  I  should  like  to  stay." 

He  turned  upon  Sofia  a  knowing  smile,  whose  im- 
port she  readily  understood,  and  then  for  the  first 
time  his  eyes  sought  Elizabeth  with  a  questioning 
look.  As  Elizabeth  caught  his  glance,  a  great  joy 
suddenly  filled  her  heart,  for  in  that  look  she  found 
that  unexplainable  something  in  the  man,  which  had 
ever  before  been  lacking.  In  reply  to  his  questioning 
gaze  she  arose  and  extending  her  hand,  exclaimed : 

"Then  stay!" 

Quickly  Sindhu  grasped  her  outstretched  hand  and 
turning  gave  his  other  to  Paul.  It  was  a  moment 
of  unbounded  joy  to  all,  and  Sofia,  arising  quickly 
from  her  seat,  threw  her  arm  about  her  brother,  say- 
ing softly: 

"  Sindhu,  you  have  made  us  all  very  happy ! " 
Then  giving  her  other  hand  to  Paul,  she  said,  "  How 
can  we  ever  repay  you,  Mr.  Anthony,  for  all  you 
have  done  for  us  and  ours  ?  " 

Looking  earnestly  at  the  happy  faces  around  him 
Paul  replied :  "  By  striving  daily  to  keep  the  two 
great  commandments  and  by  following  in  Jesus' 
footsteps,  thus  bearing  witness  to  the  healing  power 
of  Truth  and  Love  whenever  and  wherever  we  can." 

THE    END. 


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God's  Good  Man Marie  Corelli 

Going  Some Rex  Beach 

Gordon  Craig Randall  Parritk 

Greyfriars  Bobby Eleanor  Atkinson 

Guests  of  Hercules,  The.  .C.N.andA.M.  Williamson 

Halcyone Elinor  Glyn 

Happy  Island  (Sequel  to  Uncle  William)  Jennette  Let 

Havoc E.  Phillipi  Oppenheim 

Heart  of  the  Hills,  The John  Fox,  Jr. 

Heart  of  the  Desert,  The Honore  Wittsie 

Heather-Moon,  The C.N.andA.M.  Williamson 

Her  Weight  in  Gold George  Ban  McCutcheon 

Herb  of  Grace Rosa  N.  Carey 

Highway  of  Fate,  The Rosa  N.  Carey 

Homesteaders,  The Kate  and  Virgil  D.  Boylet 

Hopalong  Cassidy Clarence  E.  Mulford 

Honor  of  the  Big  Snows,  The.  .Jamet  Olirer  Curwood 

House  of  Happiness,  The Kate  Langley  Bosher 

House  of  the  Lost  Court,  The C.  N.  Williamson 

House  of  the  Whispering  Pines,  The . .  Anna  K.  Green 

Household  of  Peter,  The Rosa  N.  Carey 

Hugh  Wynne,  Free  Quaker ...  5.  Weir  Mitchell,  M.D. 

Husbands  of  Edith,  The George  Barr  McCutcheon 

Idols Wittiam  J.  Locke 

Illustrious  Prince,  The E.  Phillips  Oppenheim 

Imposter,  The John  Reed  Scott 

In  Defiance  of  the  King Chauncey  C,  Hotchkiu 

Indifference  o*  Juliet,  The Grace  S.  Richmond 

Inez  (Illustrateu  Edition) Augusta  J.  Evan* 

Infelice Augusta  Evans  Wilson 

Initials  Only Anna  Katharine  Green 

Iron  Trail,  The Rex  Beach 

Iron  Woman,  The Margaret  Deland 

Ishmael  (Illustrated). .  .Mr*.  E.  D.  E.  N.  Southvorth 
Island  of  Regeneration,  The.  .Cyrus  Toicnsend  Brady 

Japonette Robert  W.  Chambers 

Jane  Cable George  Barr  McCufrheon 

Jeanne  of  the  Marshes E.  Phillips  Oppenheim 

Jennie  Gerhardt Theodore  Dreiser 

Joyful  Heatherby Payne  Erskine 

Judgment  House,  The  Sir  Gilbeti  Parker 


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Keith  of  the  Border Randall  Parriih 

Key  to  the  Unknown,  The Rosa  N.  Carey 

King  Spruce Holman  Day 

Knave  of  Diamonds,  The Ethel  M.  Dell 

Lady  and  the  Pirate,  The Emerson  Hoitgh 

Lady  Betty  Across  the  Water. 

C.  N.  and  A.  M.  Williamson 

Land  of  Long  Ago,  The Eliza  Calvert  Hall 

Langford  of  the  Three  Bars  .Kate  and  Virgil  D.  Boyle* 

Last  Trail,  The Zane  Grey 

Last  Voyage  of  the  Donna  Isabel,The  Randatt  Parrish 

Leavenworth  Case,  The Anna  Katherint  Green 

Life  Mask,  The Author  of  "To  M.  L.  G." 

Lighted  Way,  The E.  Phillips  Oppenheim, 

Lin  McLean Owen  Wister 

Little  Brown  Jug  at  Kildare,  The. Meredith  Nicholson 

Lonesome  Land B.  M .  Bower 

Lord  Loveland  Discovers  America. 

C.  N.  and  A.  M.  Williamson 

Lorimer  of  the  Northwest Harold  Bindlost 

Lorraine Robert  W.  Chambert 

Lost  Ambassador,  The E.  Phillips  Oppenheim 

Love  Under  Fire Randall  Parrish 

Macaria  (Illustrated  Edition) Augusta  J.  Etan$ 

Maid  at  Arms,  The Robert  W.  Chamberi 

Maid  of  Old  New  York,  A Amelia  E.  Ban 

Maids  of  Paradise,  The Robert  W.  Chambert 

Maid  of  the  Whispering  Hills,  The. ...  Vingie  E.  Roe 

Maid  of  the  Forest,  The Randall  Parrish 

Making  of  Bobby  Burnit,  The . .  Geo.  Randolph  Chester 

Mam'  Linda Will  N.  Harben 

Marriage H.  G.  Wells 

Marriage  a  la  Mode Mrs.  Humphrey  Ward 

Master  Mummer,  The E.  Phillips  Oppenheim 

Masters  of  the  Wheatlands Harold  Bindloss 

Max Katherine  Cecil  Tkurston 

Mediator  The Roy  Norton 

Memoirs  of  Sherlock  Holmes A.  Conan  Doyle 

Missioner,  The E.  Phillips  Oppenheim 

Miss  Gibbie  Gault Kate  Langley  Boshesr 


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Miss  Phflura's  Wedding  Gown. 

Florence  Morse  Kingsley 

Miss  Selina  Lue Maria  Thompson  Daviess 

Mollie's  Prince Rosa  N.  Carey 

Molly  McDonald Randall  Parrisk 

Money  Moon,  The Jeffery  Farnol 

Motor  Maid,  The C.  N.  and  A.  M.  Williamson 

Moth,  The William  Dana  Orcutt 

Mountain  Girl,  The. Payne  Erskine 

Mr.  Pratt Joseph  C.  Lincoln 

Mr.  Pratt's  Patients Joseph  C.  Lincoln 

Mrs.  Red  Pepper Grace  S.  Richmond 

My  Friend  the  Chauffeur .  CJV.  and  A.  M.  Williamson 

My  Lady  Caprice Jeffery  Farnol 

My  Lady  of  Doubt Randall  Parrish 

My  Lady  of  the  North Randall  Parrish 

My  Lady  of  the  South Randall  Parrisk 

Mystery  Tales Edgar  Allen  Poe 

Mystery  of  the  Boule  Cabinet  The. 

Burton  E.  Stevenson 

Nancy  Stair Elinor  Macartney  Lane 

Ne'er-Do-Well,  The Rex  Beach 

Net,  The Rex  Beach 

NightRiders,  The RidgwellCuUum 

No  Friend  Like  a  Sister Rosa  N.  Carey 

Officer  666.  .Barton  W.  Cvrrie  and  Auguslin  McHugh 

Once  Upon  a  Time Richard  Harding  Davit 

One  Braver  Thing Richard  Dehan 

One  Way  Trail,  The Ridgwell  Cullum 

Orphan,  The Clarence  E.  Mulford 

Out  of  the  Primitive Robert  Ames  Bennet 

Pam Betiina  Von  Hulten 

Pam  Decides Betiina  Von  Hutten 

Pardners. Rex  Beach 

Parrot  &  Co Harold  McGrath 

Partners  of  the  Tide Joseph  C.  Lincoln 

Passage  Perilous,  The Rosa  N.  Carey 

Passionate  Friends,  The H.  0.  WeU» 

Paul  Anthony,  Christian Hiram  W.  Hays 

Peter  Ruff E.  Phillips  Oppenheim 

Phillip  Steele James  Oliver  Cuncood 


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Phra  the  Phoenician Edwin  Lester  Arnold 

Pidgin  Island Harold  MacGrath 

Place  of  Honeymoons,  The Harold  MacGrath 

Pleasures  and  Palaces Juliet  Wilbor  Tompkint 

Plunderer,  The Roy  Norton 

Pole  Baker WiU  N.  Harben 

Pool  of  Flame,  The Louis  Joseph  Vance 

Polly  of  the  Circus Margaret  Mayo 

Poppy Cynthia  Stockley 

Port  of  Adventure,  The  ..C.N.  and  A.  M.  Williamson 

Postmaster,  The Joseph  C.  Lincoln 

Power  and  the  Glory,  The. .  .Grace  McGowan  Cooke 
Price  of  the  Prairie,  The. . .  .Margaret  Hill  M  (Carter 

Prince  of  Sinners,  A E.  Phillips  Oppenheim 

Prince  or  Chauffeur Lawrence  Perry 

Princess  Passes,  The — C.N.  and  A.  M.  Williamson 
Princess  Virginia,  The.  .C.  N.  and  A  M.  Williamson 

Prisoners  of  Chance Randall  Parrish 

ProdigalSon,  The HallCaine 

Purple  Parasol,  The George  Ban  McCutcheon 

R.  J.'s  Mother Margaret  Deland 

Ranching  for  Sylvia Harold  Bindlott 

Reason  Why,  The Elinor  Glyn 

Redemption  of  Kenneth  Gait,  The.  .WiU  N.  Harben 

Red  Cross  Girl,  The Richard  Harding  Davis 

Red  Lane,  The Holman  Day 

Red  Pepper  Burns Grace  S.  Richmond 

Red  Republic,  The Robert  W.  Chambers 

Refugees,  The A.  Conan  Doyle 

Rejuvenation  of  Aunt  Mary,  The Anne  Warner 

Rise  of  Roscoe  Paine,  The Joseph  C.  Lincoln 

Road  to  Providence,  The. .  .Maria  Thompson  Daviest 

Robinetta Kate  Douglas  Wiggin 

Rose  in  the  Ring,  The George  Ban  McCutcheon 

Rose  of  the  World Aqnes  and  Egerton  Castle 

Rose  of  Old  Harpeth,  The . .  Maria  Thompson  Daviess 
Round  the  Corner  in  Gay  Street. .  .Grace  S.  Richmond 

Routledge  Rides  Alone Witt  Levington  Comfort 

Rue:  With  a  Difference Rosa  N.  Carey 

St.  Elmo  (Illustrated  Edition) Augusta  J.  Evans 

Seats  of  the  Mighty,  The Gilbert  Parka 


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